#People who throw magnets up in the air and try to get them to stick to each other midair together?

[murdrdocs]

inspo from hot to go!; post stanford tashi; fem!reader MDNI 18+ w/ TASHI DUNCAN

tashi is in a bar.

it's not just any bar, she knows this. she wouldn't even be seen in just any bar, but this bar is different. the demographic is different. the music is different. the drinks are more or less the same. this isn't just any bar and tashi likes that.

she came to this bar because she wanted to. because she wanted this. because she wanted to take some hot stranger back to her hotel room and get her brains fucked out. because she wanted to forget that she's just katarina's hitting partner, and not the one with the trophy.

she came dressed for the occasion. glitter along her lined hooded eyes. nude lipstick smeared over her lips. low rise jeans hugging her ass and a sparky top making her tits look phenomenal. she was going home with someone, she knew she was.

it took a while, lots of searching and a few drinks, but tashi finds her target.

you, dancing to every song as if you know it well. laughing and talking with people as if you know them well. she thinks you might be a regular, or at least this isn't your first time here. she doesn't think this is your first time doing anything like this in general. at first, the thought intimidates her. but tashi has never been one to back down from a challenge. she's never been one to become intimidated because someone knows more than her.

it takes a short while, tashi begins to think she missed the sweet spot, but she eventually approaches you.

and there's nothing to be worried about.

sure, she's a little worried that you might not be into her, but she was once told that she's everyone's type. so she stands tall in her heels, uncaring about her height for once, and she smiles at you.

and the two of you click. you're like fucking magnets, bodies pressed together, moving as one to whatever song playing throughout the bar. her head buried in the crook of your neck, your hands on her waist and hips, your perfumes rubbing together to create a unique mix that tashi never wants to forget.

at one point, you dip your hand to slide past the waistband of her jeans, resting right over her mound, and tashi fucking moans. you haven't even touched her yet, not really, but her celibacy streak has made her needy.

so needy that she's jumping at the first opportunity to be alone uncaring how desperate she may seem.

"are you hot, too? or is it just me?" you ask her, your voice right in her ear.

tashi nods immediately, quick to agree even if she's actually not that hot. nothing compared to summer training on a court. but she still nods because she knows what you want.

your hand slipped in hers, you leading the way out of the bar until you're both outside in the summer air, feeling the breeze against your skin when she has you pressed against a wall and her lips against yours.

she kisses you sloppily. it's probably the messiest kiss she's ever had, and it's all her doing.

she's the one slipping her tongue into your mouth, missing the cavern a couple of times.

she's the one knocking your teeth together.

she's the one moaning and groaning into your mouth while her hands, appreciative and curious, pull at your waist.

and then she's the one throwing the suggestion out there.

"i'll call a cab."

after a torturous twenty minutes where you and tashi try to be decent people who don't grope each other in the back of a cab, the two of you end up in tashi's hotel room and there's no more inhibitions.

she's stark naked on the bed with your bare body rubbing against hers from above. she lets you stick your fingers in her mouth and then in her cunt. she writhes and moans as you devour her in ways she's never experienced before.

her nails dig into the white sheets as she stares up at the ceiling, praying this would never end.

you're so earnest between her legs, telling her she tastes sweet and sounding like you mean it. like you actually are getting pleasure from having your head between her thighs and your tongue against her soaked cunt.

you keep calling her pretty, and tashi feels pretty.

when she's having another woman tweak her nipples and lift her legs in the air, she feels as pretty as she ever has.

she's so quick to return the favor, too. she wasn't just here to get fucked. she wanted to make you feel good.

her brown eyes big and kind as she watches you, one lithe hand slipping between your parted legs. when you take that first gasp, a sharp inhale at the feeling of tashi rubbing two tight circles into your clit, tashi echoes the sound. it's as if she's mirroring you, as if she's breathing with you.

and when the night's over, tashi gives you her number. well, it's like that night never ended, actually. when she’s on the road, you call often and let tashi listen to the way you fuck your cunt while pretending its her.

[mortzm]

Ok y'all are crazy 60 NOTES ON MY FIRST ONE SHOT?!

Gave you some Sanji ,today I have a little idea with BUGGY because I'm a clown

Buggy loved to be an entertainer ,I mean he was a clown,it was his destiny to perform and make people laugh .

But his favorite person to see laugh is you,his favorite person on his crew. Yeah you were just a chore person but without you ,the ship would be a mess.

After a long day of washing the ship and doing the dishes of those party people,you start walking to your shared cabin with other crew members ,passing by a few members laughing and probably too drunk.

You then saw a decapitated head thrown your way.You do your best to catch it,unstable as the waves hits the ship.

"What'ya doing (y/n) ,not wanting to laugh a little tonight?"

You looked at the head,a (huge) red nose in the middle of the face ,you recognized the head of your captain.You shook your head,making up an excuse to go in your cabin and go sleep early tonight,not wanting to wobble ,on a moving ship.

"Come on you can relax a bit , chores can wait later!"

You sigh as your Captain's head escape from your hands to get glued back on his body,soon a hand get in yours to force you to join the drunk pirates.Joining the circle around your ALSO drunk captain who goes back to telling jokes.

You have a good laugh ,drinking and watching your crew too.At the dawn of the day ,you watch the sun rise, enjoying the warmth getting on your face.You also realize that you haven't slept and your day is about to start by doing the dishes of the cooks doing breakfast.

In awe with the sunrise, you get out of your transe when the blue haired captain put his arm around your shoulders.No words, watching the sky getting orange and red.

"Why don't you come with us more often?You know you're always welcomed?

-Hm yeah,I like my job but I just don't like to be around people too much,the people in the kitchen are already too much for me , you giggle

-Ok but if you felt uncomfortable,tell me ok?I'll throw them overboard "

You laugh,covering your mouth with your hands and Buggy is clearly staring ,trying to engrave the memory in his brain.Your laugh was the most beautiful sound he ever heard ,your eyes shining with the first sun rays.

Days after days ,you started to notice your comfort rise and rise,first you had your own cabin now,the kitchen staff got reduced and the crew started to invite you to their late parties after shows... And now you're drinking your glass,laughing at the crew's jokes.Soon music started and your tipsy form started to dance in the middle of the crew.

Buggy was just staring at you on his throne,lazily half laying on it,leaning on the arm rests.Your body just moving along his crew,he enjoyed throwing parties just to watch you drink and smile , enjoying yourself and laughing.

Buggy made his way in the crowd,at least his hands did ,just to rest on your hips,sliding his fingers under your shirt as you shivered, recognizing those gloves you were washing every few months .

After a few hours of partying,drinking and dancing you went outside,letting the fresh air of the night hit you in the face.The owner of the hands on your hips following you.

"If you keep undressing me with your eyes ,I might catch a cold"

You never knew you had a flirty side but the alcohol running in your blood awakes it.

"You know I wouldn't let a crew member get sick ,it's a shame I'll have to keep you really close to warm up your body"

You saw him get a few drinks too.You were both tipsy,in the cold,and probably ready to just rip each other's lips.

"Such a shame my captain have to take care of his crew , he rolled his eyes, mumbling curses

-Yeah yeah,don't tell me I didn't take care of you ,when I saw those puppy dog eyes"

You laughed and looked at his painted lips,you suddenly felt like two magnets just sticking to each other,his hands were all over you,yours in his blue long locks.

This night was the start of 20 long years of marriage until Buggy took his leave on the pirate job and settled with you in your hometown ,letting you open a little bakery where you sold a special:

The clown night special, a blue cake with red and white icing with a strawberry on top.

Let's say your husband didn't like this cake too much as he often ate the strawberry "by mistake"...

Hope you liked it besties! Lots of love and drink water!

Take care!

[thefanficmonster]

An Impostor In Love

Sequel to ‘Love For The Faceless’ (’Body Reveal’)

Corpse Husband x Reader (Female)

Warnings: Swearing (maybe)

Genre: Fluff

Summary: Rae can’t stay mad at her best friends forever. Them being absolutely adorable doesn’t help her ‘pissed off’ act either. Y/N’s outing Corpse like she’s a human lie detector. Corpse is gushing about her every second word that comes out of his mouth. And the rest of the lobby are getting one hell of a kick out of the Among Us romantic comedy - An Impostor In Love

Requested but, once again, not in a typical way. I honestly wasn’t expecting all the positive feedback I got for Love For The Faceless (Body Reveal). I was star-struck! You guys are so amazing I have no words to describe just how much I love you all! Thank you for everything! This story is for all of you 🥰🥰🥰

“Mr. and Mrs. ‘Totally not dating’ have entered the call!“ Sean announces when I hop into the Discord call to play Among Us with the usual gang. I hear Corpse’s laugh from down the hall, bringing a smile to my face.

We’ve gotten used to playing in this arrangement, a few rooms away from each other, ever since we moved in together - Corpse is in his recording room and I am in our shared bedroom. When one dies, they go in the other’s room to troll them. I’m usually the one dead, but that’s besides the point.

“Hi everyone!“ I say in my typical cheery tone before kicking it done a few notches, making it an octave deeper just to say: “Hi Rae.”

The whole lobby laughs, they all know what I’m trying to do here. Everyone’s aware this is the first time Rae is in the same call and lobby as Corpse and I after you-know-which incident. Sure, I’ve been poking sticks at her, waving a white flag and admitting I was wrong several times by now. Who knew my sweetheart best friend could act so cold? I know it’s a front. I know she’s fighting to stay mad. There’s a ton of pressure on her to finally forgive us, but she’s been holding up better than I would be if I were in her situation.

I honestly felt, and still feel, slightly guilty. I know best friends are supposed to tell each other everything. They are supposed to be the first ones to know whatever’s going on in each other’s lives. And I know I broke one of the main rules of friendships, but the decision wasn’t only mine to make. I’m sure she understands where I’m coming from, she’s just giving me and Corpse a hard time.

“Hello, Y/N.” She replies, her tone strictly formal.

“Progress, people! Progress!“ I say joyously, the smile turning into a grin 

“Don’t worry, babe. We’ll get her eventually.“ Corpse reassures me as he’s done for the past week or two. He knew I wasn’t as unbothered by Rae’s anger towards me as I tried to appear - a pro and simultaneously a con of living with someone: they pick up on everything about you. You become as familiar to them as the back of their hand.

“I know, I know.“ I giggle, “She’ll cave.“

“Yeah, good luck with that.“ Rae has dropped the formal tone, now sounding like a stubborn child which is something I’m way more familiar with. I’ve dealt with her tantrums and childish outbursts - I don’t know which number it is, but it’s somewhere in the rule book of friendships - and I at least the approximate meaning behind it. 

Ken puts an end to our friendly, stick-poking, sorta one-sided banter, ushering us to start the game. We all oblige, muting our mics and getting our heads in the game as though we’re about to enter an actual warzone with upmost stealth.

To my dismay, the screen flashes ‘Crewmate’. I head out of cafeteria to do my task in Weapons, staying weary of anyone within my proximity. Once I’m done, I head on down to Shields and complete my task there as well. I cringe when I’m done, knowing my last three tasks are in Electrical. Like, the fuck kind of luck do I have?

I make my way through the halls, running into Sykkuno and we circle around each other a few times to show we’re safe before we each continue our own way. I enter Electrical and.....oh Felix is dead. And oh lookie who’s right there...

I report the body before the impostor can and we all unmute our mics.

“Found him in Electrical.“ I say nonchalantly, “Didn’t see anyone in there though.“ 

“Anyone sus?“ Sean asks

We say our ‘no’s and ‘I don’t know’s and skip the vote. I’m smirking to myself as I head back down to Electrical. Walking in, I see the same person as before - Rae. I stop dead in my tracks and we just stare at each other for a few seconds before she comes towards me, circling me twice, bumping visors with me and venting out of the room.

“You’re welcome.“ I mumble, smiling widely.

I finish my tasks and leave Electrical just as Corpse enters our bedroom, giving me this tired-parent look like he’s half disappointed and half amused. “You just threw the game, didn’t you? Don’t lie.” He raises his eyebrows, fully adopting his parent role.

I giggle, shaking my head, sending him the briefest of glances before my eyes fixate on the screen in utter shock - Sean just killed me. Oh, for fuck’s sake...

“I was gonna come clean eventually, but I guess they won’t hear it from me now.“ I shrug, lifting my laptop and setting it aside so Corpse can join me on the bed. I snuggle up to him immediately, drawn to him as though he’s a human magnet.

“Who was it?“ He asks me, running his hands through my hair in a soothing manner.

I frown, pulling away from his chest to look him in the eyes, “Wait, how did you know I threw the game if you don’t know who I threw it for?”

He smirks, shrugging, “I didn’t know. You were smiling downright evilly when I came in so I just assumed.” He boops my nose. “And you ratted yourself out.”

I narrow my eyes at him, blowing some air out my nose - a gesture that has become my only way of showing anger towards him. I literally can’t even voice when I’m upset with him cause the grudge lasts like .5 seconds. I let him get away with more than he should.

Seeing as how I can’t argue to his statement, I lean back into his chest and pull out my phone to pass the time while I pretend to give him the silent treatment. Among my notifications is one for Rae’s stream. I smile and tap it, being taken to her YouTube channel and her live stream.

Just when the stream loads, Rae finds my dead body in Storage.

“Oh, nooooooo! Y/N!“ She wines as she goes over to it, “Sean must’ve killed her.” She reports the body and unmutes herself in game, “The body’s in Storage. I was on my way to call an emergency meeting cause I saw Sean vent in Security.”

“WHAT?!“ Sean exclaims in shock, “I didn’t! Rae’s lying. I swear I didn’t! I wasn’t even in Security!“

“Sean has been following me around this whole time. Just saying.“ Ken joins the discussion, throwing even more suspicion on Sean.

“We gotta vote someone.“ Charlie says, “Might as well be the most sus person at the moment.“

The voting results show all the little astronaut icons on Sean except his which is on Rae. Sean gets launched into space and the game continues. Having muted her mic in-game, Rae speaks up: “Y/N has been avenged. No one kills my best friend.”

I’m staring at my phone screen, eyes wide, eyebrows raised, a huge smile on my face. I take a glance at Corpse out of the corner of my eye and see he’s just as pleasantly surprised as I am.

“For those of you asking if I’m still mad at her and Corpse, the answer’s no. Actually, I think I was never mad. I was just in shock and a little hurt that I wasn’t made aware sooner.“ Rae says as she keeps wandering around the map, “Then I realized not talking to my best friend hurt more than the betrayal, you know. The only reason I still pretend is because it’s really funny to see her trying to soften me up.“ She laughs, “But yeah. I don’t know what I’d do without her or Corpse in my life. I love them both and love them even more together. My best friends are dating, I still can’t wrap my brain around that! They are sooo cute, you guys! I wish they posted more content of them together. I’m literally simping over their relationship! But shh, don’t tell em I said that.”

I laugh, overjoyed by what I just heard. I knew she couldn’t still be mad at us. I know she has every right to be, but she’s too sweet to actually hold a grudge against anyone ever.

I suddenly want nothing more than to give her an enormous hug and hold onto her for as long as she’d let me. I just now realize how lonely it feels to have never hugged your best friend because you haven’t hung out together in person. The only reason Rae now knows what I look like is because I sent her a full body picture of myself as one of my sad attempts to get her to start talking to us again. We have never met in person, and that thought kills me. It makes me impatient for this pandemic to end even more than before. 

“Told you there was nothing to worry about.“ Corpse’s arms tighten their hold on my body, pulling me even closer which I didn’t know was possible. The most fulfilling and endearing feeling - being in the arms of a loved one. Being held so close and so tightly that you feel like you’re untouchable. Like you two can’t be hurt by anything in the world as long as you have each other.

“Yeah, you were right.“ I sigh in content, putting my phone down and covering his hands with mine, our rings clinking quietly when they touch.

“As usual...“ he whispers theatrically with his lips against my hair.

I playfully roll my eyes, catching glimpse of the screen showing Rae’s demise. 

“Oh no, they caught her.“ I say, a bit disappointed she didn’t win and more than a bit responsible for her defeat.

I somehow manage to convince myself to get untangled from Corpse’s embrace and join the new round. I hear him groan as I settle my computer in my lap, unmuting my mic.

“See ya, kitten.“ Corpse kisses my temple, standing up.

“Oh my God, you two are too cute.“ Poki says sweetly, having heard what Corpse said to me.

“SIMP!“ Sean and Felix shout in unison causing the whole lobby to laugh. Corpse is as red as Rae’s avatar as he exists our room, running down the hallway.

“Ok, ok, ok. Hold on. I have to address this. I really hadn’t stepped foot in Security, let alone vented in there. Rae why were you lying?“ Sean’s voice cuts through the teasing directed towards Corpse and I.

“While we’re on that topic...“ Felix speaks up as well, making me break out in a nervous sweat, “Y/N, you literally saw Rae kill me, but you said you didn’t see anyone.“ He laughs, “Not gonna lie, I was a bit pissed.“

The call falls silent for about five seconds until Rae and I speak simultaneously.

“I was avenging Y/N.“

“I was helping Rae.“

Silence follows our statements, not for long though, as our friends break out in amused laughter.

“Fuck’s sake, you two make a good team.“ Sean says through genuine laughter which Rae and I soon join him in.

Felix and Sean and the rest of the lobby forgive us for throwing the game from both the crewmate and impostor’s side and we move onto another round. This time I have only one task in Electrical which I leave for last as always. I don’t feel like dying right from the get-go. I start by doing the card swipe in Admin and then the fuel task in Storage. As I make my way to Upper Engine, Corpse leaves Electrical, falling in step with me. I immediately get nervous, but still make my way to where I’m supposed to go, hoping he’d go his own way eventually. 

I stay wary of my boyfriend as I do my task, praying he won’t take my head off. When the task is finished, I find I’m trapped in the room with the doors shut. And Corpse right there. With every right and opportunity to kill me and vent. No one would know. No one saw us. 

That nervous sweat is back. 

I’m counting my last seconds of being alive.

And it happens...

A body is reported

“Oh than you so so so much! Corpse was gonna kill me in Upper Engine!“ I don’t let the person who reported the body speak, thanking them for my survival. “I was sure I was a goner.“

“Babe, come on now. You know I wouldn’t kill you even if I was an impostor. I love you too much.“ Corpse hurries to defend himself, “I’m following you around to keep you safe.“

I can tell he’s capping, but I have no concrete proof. He knows I’m onto him. His best bet is having me killed by the other impostor. He might have been capping the majority of his defense, but I know he won’t kill me.

“I’ll vote for myself because of that one.“ I mumble

The vote is skipped except the one vote I placed on myself and the round continues. I follow Corpse around the whole time, making sure he’s completing tasks - not that I can be 100% certain he’s actually completing them.

All is well until we walk into Admin and find Felix there, uploading data. Corpse, dead-ass, goes up to him and kills him, reporting the body right afterwards.

“IT’S CORPSE!“ I don’t give him a chance to start his brainwashing of the rest of the players. “Felix, this is my redemption for leaving your death unavenged last round.“

“Yeah, it’s me.“ Corpse laughs, that adorable laugh of his melting me despite the need to stay strong and carry out my argument, “Just vote me out so I can go troll Y/N.“

“Sounds like a plan to me.“ Ken says, the remainder of the crewmates, and the impostor probably, agreeing with him.

The votes are put in, all on Corpse obviously, and he is sent off into space. Not even five seconds later I hear his footsteps approaching. 

I look up when he pops his head in the room and says, “I have come to annoy you to death with my love for you.”

I can’t help but laugh, shaking my head. The things this man does to me are insane. It’s insane that I let him. 

It’s amazing, really. We’re amazing.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I pat the spot on the bed next to me, “I’ll allow it. But only cause I love you too.”

@susceptible-but-siriusexual  @simonsbluee  @save-the-sky  @hacker-ghost  @itsminniekat  @bi-andready-tocry  @imtiredaffff  @jazzkaurtheglorious  @hereforbeebo  @fandomgirl17  @chrysanthykios  @maehemscorpyus  @loraleiix  @letsloveimagines  @annshit  @i-cant-choose-a-username-help  @enigmaticmaze  @divine-artemis

[polaroid15]

Febuwhump Day 22 - Restrained

Read on Ao3

Summary: Peter and Tony track Toomes' late alien weapon trafficking business to an old warehouse on the outskirts of the city. What could possibly go wrong?

-----

“On your left, underoos!”

Peter dodges immediately, landing in a roll that disrupts the dust at his feet into a gray cloud. A bullet skips off the cement where he’d been standing, shooting off sparks into the dark.

“Oh man. Thanks Mr. Stark!”

Today’s battleground is a warehouse in the outskirts of the city. They’ve tracked down another group of alien weapon traffickers in the absence of Toomes’ leadership; about a dozen people total. With all the noise they’ve been making shooting off alien blasts and repulsor fire, Peter’s surprised the police haven’t showed up yet.

Or maybe, this is just New York’s normal.

A beam of light hits Tony head on. It must be the same gun that had hit Peter in the bank all those months ago, because Tony is thrown off his feet, levitating a couple feet in the air.

“Woah,” his mentor says. “A little help, Spider-Man?”

“Right.” Peter connects the ray to a woman with a baseball cap. With her free hand, she reaches for a handgun on her belt, but Peter webs her to the wall before she can reach it. With the absence of the gun, Tony lands ungracefully on his hands and knees, the iron of his suit echoing to the top corners of the warehouse.

“Damn, that felt weird.”

Peter grabs his forearm and hoists him up. “Come on. There’s still more.”

“Yeah, yeah, kid. Let me catch my breath.”

Five men burst through the doors, each holding impressively sized guns. Their eyes are narrowed, their mouths turned down into sneers. The one in the middle, a large man wearing a leather vest, points a thick finger in their direction. “Get them.”

All at once, their weapons are raised. Peter’s spider sense flares as he takes a reflexive step closer to Tony’s side, aiming his wrists at their opponents. He manages to shoot a web grenade that sticks two of the men together and one to the wall.

The man in the leather vest, unaffected, sneers and pulls his trigger in Peter’s direction. At first, he thinks nothing happened. He doesn’t even know what to dodge. But then there’s a disturbance in the air and something hard clamps around both of his wrists. It throws him off his feet and into a power box, his wrists pinning hard against the metal.

Magnetic cuffs, Peter realizes, struggling against the restraints. To his surprise and horror, they hold.

“Hey, screw you asshole!” Tony says to the man who shot him. He raises his repulsor and makes a shot of his own. It’s a close hit, singeing the shoulder of his leather vest.

The other man, shorter and holding a weird looking purple gun, shoots Tony in his moment of distraction. Sparks fly and the eyes on Tony’s suit go dark. In a choppy, terrifying progression, Tony falls back into the dust and stays there.

“Mr. Stark!” Peter screams, trying in earnest to break free. He places his feet against the wall and pushes, his wrists threatening to pop as the magnetic cuffs shift.

“None of that,” the man in the leather vest says, suddenly in front of him. He aims another shot at Peter’s legs, pinning them to the power box too.

“What did you do to him?” Peter asks, his words more shaky than he’d care to admit.

“Calm down. Nothing permanent.”

“Calm down? You- you hurt him…” Peter says, breaking off with a strangled gasp for air. It’s hard to breathe, his ribs feeling as if they're caving in.

“And you’ve hurt us,” the man in the leather vest says, gesturing widely around the warehouse. He takes a half step forward and grabs Peter’s jaw hard enough that he can’t squirm away from it. “In fact, you’re the one who killed this operation in the first place. If Toomes were still here, you’d be dead already.”

“But he’s not,” Peter retaliates, hoping there’s just enough fire in his eyes to deter the man from seeing his fear. “He’s in jail. Where he belongs.”

The man digs his fingers into Peter’s jaw, but he refuses to make a sound. “I have a lot of friends who are unhappy with you, Spider-Man. I bet I could make a lot more money selling off your sorry hide than I could selling a hundred of these stupid guns.”

“Oh yeah?” Peter hisses, leaning forward. “Then what’s stopping you?”

He shrugs, motioning for his accomplice to step over. “Good point.”

The second man stands in front of Peter and raises the same gun he’d shot Tony with. Nothing permanent, he reminds himself, and hopes that wherever he goes, Tony comes too.

There’s a blast of purple light.

Then there’s nothing.

-----

When Peter peels his eyes back open, he’s moving.

He’s out of the warehouse, that’s for certain. He would’ve hoped that would mean being free from the magnetic cuffs, but instead of pinning him to the power box, they’re pinning his limbs together; his wrists in front of him and his ankles cramped against a wall.

There must be a blindfold around his eyes, because he can’t see a thing.

Either that, or that gun blinded me, he thinks grimly.

He forces himself to lay still and listen. From the sounds of it, it’s just him and the two meatheads who had taken him, and by the smell of gasoline, they must be in a vehicle. No Tony, then. Acid rises in his stomach. He hopes they just left Tony at the warehouse, and that nothing worse happened.

Please, please let him be okay.

Judging it safe, Peter lifts up his wrists and sure enough, there’s a strip of cloth around his eyes. He pulls it down and blinks rapidly to adjust his eyes. He’s in the back of a van, by the looks of it. Alone.

“Great,” Peter huffs, letting the blindfold drop against his neck. He tries again to pull apart the cuffs, but they may as well be made out of vibranium. “Just great.”

For some reason, they’ve kept his mask on. “Karen?” he whispers.

“It’s good to see you awake, Peter. How can I help?”

“Can you connect me to Mr. Stark?”

Karen is silent for a couple beats. “I’m sorry, Peter. It appears his systems are offline at the moment.”

His heart is about to break through his ribs. “What?” he chokes. “Can you get a reading on him? Is he…”

The van slams to a hard stop, careening Peter into the back wall. The unexpected jolt must bring his ankles and wrists in close proximity, because the two bindings snap together. He gasps around lost breath as his knees are forced up to his chest.

Disoriented, he groans and tries to separate his ankles and wrists as the back of the van opens harshly. The man in the leather vest’s taught expression loosens in something like humor as he looks at Peter. “Got yourself trussed up even more, huh?”

“Screw you,” Peter says, though fully aware he must look like the least intimidating thing alive. He tries to break through his restraints again and fails, his wrists and ankles aching. The panic of not being able to move or defend himself is making him crazy.

“Who the hell were you talking to?” his kidnapper asks. “Just now.”

“No one. Myself.”

“Yeah right. Jimmy? We need the gun back here again.”

“We’re all out of shots, Matt. Sorry.”

The man in the leather vest- Matt- lowers his head with a sigh. “Just shut the hell up, okay? Or I’ll knock you out the old fashioned way.”

And with that, Matt closes the back of the van and they lurch onto the road, gaining speed quickly.

“Karen?” Peter asks again, his voice hardly above a whisper.

“Yes, Peter?”

“Which Avenger is closest to me?”

“Mr. Colonel Rhodes, Peter. Would you like me to send him a message requesting your assistance?”

Peter swallows hard. His throat is bone dry. “Send him to Tony’s location please.” Please don’t find a body. Please don’t find a body…

“Absolutely.”

Peter sighs, his stomach in knots of worry. “Thanks, Karen. Any ideas on how to get out of these cuffs?” The pressure of his limbs being stretched together in front of him is becoming painful.

“I’m sorry, Peter. There seems to be no apparent solution.”

Peter sighs, tipping his head back. “Great.”

“Would you like me to alert Colonel Rhodes about your current situation as well?”

“No, no. He needs to focus on Tony. I’ll figure it out.”

Well, he thinks, hopefully.

------

Turns out, Peter doesn’t figure it out. Over an hour must pass before the van stops again. Hard. Peter’s body raises a good foot upwards before slamming back down, leaving him gasping for lost air.

In the cab of the van, Peter hears muffled cursing. Three shots fire, and then- nothing.

Peter tries to collect his breath as the back doors to the van open for a second time. This time, Tony and Rhodey fill the space. Peter sags in relief, his head pounding. “Oh,” he says. “Hey guys.”

“Jesus Christ,” Rhodey says, squinting at him. “What’d they do to you?”

“Metal restraints,” Peter says. “Not exactly the most comfortable.”

He nods. “Sit tight, I’ll find something to get them off.”

Rhodey turns back toward the cab as Tony steps out of his suit. He climbs into the back of the van and hovers beside Peter in a squat. The relief of seeing him okay nearly has Peter bawling, but he withholds the emotion with an unstable smile. “Mr. Stark,” he begins, “It’s so good to see you. Are you- Are you okay?”

“Fine, kiddo,” Tony says, his usual line of worry deep between his eyebrows. “Are you?”

“I’m okay. Just a little tied up.”

“I can see that.”

A short, awkward silence fills the space between them. He hears Rhodey shuffling around things in the cab. “Well, that mission sucked. Thanks for- you know… Coming to get me.”

“Why’d you send Rhodey to me?” Tony asks, perhaps not hearing him. “You needed help.”

“You did too.”

“I’m an adult and can handle myself.”

“I thought-” Peter says, but finds himself unable to continue. He bites his lip and turns his head, wishing more than anything that his legs were free for him to run away on.

“You thought what?”

A deep, wild emotion breaks open in his chest. “I thought you were dead, okay?”

To his surprise, tears well up in his eyes. It’s stupid and childish, but he can’t help it. He forces himself to look at the doors and is saved from Tony’s response as Rhodey enters the back of the van. There’s a small, black remote in his hand. “Let’s give this a try, shall we?”

With a click, Peter’s restraints fall away. He exhales in relief and reaches for the affected sore spots, but he’s trapped in Tony’s arms before he can make contact. A hug, he realizes in absolute disbelief.

“Uh, Mr. Stark? What- what are you doing?”

“This is a hug, kid.”

“I thought we weren’t there yet?”

Tony pulls away and gives him a half smile and a shrug. “That was before today.”

“Oh.”

“Uh, guys?” Rhodey says. “Is anyone going to fill me in on what’s going on?”

Tony’s smile crinkles at its edges. He drops his hands onto Peter’s shoulders and squeezes. Thank you, his eyes say. “It’s a long story.”

[mercurygray]

For the 30 Day AU Challenge: Dick and Joan with #3? Maybe Dick's the new manager of Joan & the girl gang band?

This was a lot of fun! Joan has this real cool TSwift vibe going in this drabble, if, you know, TSwift was also Joan Jett? I don't know music, don't poke it too much.

He was getting good at walking on moving buses.

A traveling tour setup was just a different type of convoy, and in the two weeks that Hippolyta had been on the road, Dick could honestly say that he'd learned a lot about women, and buses, and the care and feeding of rock bands. Being able to walk from the back to the front of the bus without falling, for instance, was a huge improvement, and he finally felt like he was settling in, at least a little, even if the band's frontwoman still didn't want to talk to him.

That was fine - there were other people who would.

Marj Gordon looked up from her papers as he cleared his throat. "Well, well, if it isn't Iceman."

"Kinda wish everyone would stop calling me that," Dick said, feeling the sway of the bus underneath him as the midnight expanse of highway rolled along outside the windows. "Makes me sound like a pilot."

"If you've got a nickname it usually means people like you," Marj offered with a smile. "But I can stop, if you like. You just don't seem like a Richard, and none of us really wanted to go around calling you Dick."

He considered a moment. "Maybe I'll stick to Iceman."

Marj smiled knowledgeably and gestured to the seat across from her, setting aside the spreadsheet for band merch she was carefully tallying. "What brings you to my office, sir?"

Dick sat down and moved a throw cushion to one side, trying to make himself comfortable on the bench seat. "Just wondering how Joan's doing, that's all."

How Joan was doing - with the tabloid story that her rockstar boyfriend had been seen very publically with another woman, with the social media fallout and the fans literally throwing everything they could at her.

"You could ask her, you know."

"I could," Dick said with a nod, "But she'll give me the answer she thinks I want to hear, and that's not why I'm asking. "

Marj raised an eyebrow, suitably impressed by the question. "She's doing pretty good. She's tougher than some people give her credit for. And sad as it is to say, she's had a lot of practice with crap like this. She's handled it all before and doubtless she'll do it again."

She glanced towards the back of the bus and Joan, deep in the corner with her headphones on and a notebook on the table in front of her, silently testing cords in the air. "The thing you have to know is that Joan has great taste in friends and music but really shitty luck when it comes to guys," Marj said with a wry smile, watching her friend across the dimly lit expanse of the tour bus. "She's like a magnet for it - everyone who wants a piece of fame. And to her - "

"To her I'm just another guy." Dick felt himself smile a little, watching her perform for no one but herself, deep in thought and at one with the music. It was a pure expression, somehow, a truer face than the mask she put on for the concerts and the fans and the press tour. He liked her better like this, in the silence and the little hidden moments when she couldn't see him - and here was Marj telling him why. That's why she won't give me a straight answer right now.

Marj nodded. "For now, anyway. But I don't think it's going to be like that forever." She straightened herself on the couch and leaned in a little. "Dick, I don't think you know you do this, but you listen really well. To... literally everyone. You made them fix that door in Chicago after Connie complained, you made them run that second check because Joe said the circuit was going to go. Trust me, she notices stuff like that - the taking care of her people. And," Marj added, very practical, "you're the first guy in a while who didn't immediately try to get into her pants, so - you've got a lot going for you just with that. She'll come around. You just have to give her a little time. Having those conversations in the bus is good. She feels safe here - she controls more variables. And travel's a liminal space. People open up more when they're moving- it's a documented phenomenon."

"Like we're doing now?"

The bassist nodded with a grin. "You know it."

[chaoticevilbean]

Voltron Humans are Weird 4/?

"What the heck, Coran?" Lance's shout echoed through the hallways. When more, less coherent shouts continued from the Blue Paladin, probably directed at Coran, the other Paladins followed the noise curiously.

In the middle of the medbay, laying on the floor, Lance was struggling to get Coran's hands off of his leg. The Altean seemed to be trying to drag the boy into a healing pod, only stopped by the death grip the human had on a nearby table. It was definitely a good thing all the tables were magnetized to the floor to avoid movement.

"Coran, I told you, I'm fine!" Lance screamed at the alien. "I don't need a healing pod!"

"You shouted gibberish and didn't react to something shocking!" Coran countered. "For you, that's all that is needed to warrant at least a scan!"

"That was one time! We were in the middle of a battle!"

"You didn't come in afterwards!"

"REFUGEES NEED IT MORE THAN ME!"

"YOU ARE A PALADIN! YOU ARE DEFINITELY IMPORTANT ENOUGH AND YOU WERE DEFINITELY INJURED ENOUGH TO WARRANT PRIORITY!"

"GUYS!" Shiro hollered over the two of them. The duo froze, staring at the Black Paladin. Both seemed extremely hopeful that he would support their side of the argument. "What is going on? Lance first, mostly because this might be another 'humans can do weird things'."

"Coran and I were just cleaning the healing pods, and you're not supposed to keep using one of the rags if it gets to a certain level of dirty. So, I'm over here," Lance pointed to the left-most side, "Coran's over there," he pointed to the right, "and he's got the bucket we're supposed to put the rags in when they're done. And I just finished my rag, and I don't want to walk all the way over there, then all the way back, just to put it in the bucket. So I ball it up, toss it into the bucket from where I'm sitting, and shout, 'Kobe!' Coran turns right as this happens, and his eyes went all wide, then the next thing I know, he's tackling me and demanding I go into the healing pod."

"Coran, what's your side of the story?"

"Why aren't you questioning his side?" Coran asked instead.

"What d'you mean?"

"He claims to have thrown something from there to there and hit his target," the Altean gestured as he spoke, "and says he shouted some form of gibberish as he did, and you aren't challenging it."

"Well, sure, it's a bit hard to believe someone made that shot, but Lance has good aim. And 'Kobe' is what some people shout when they throw and make the shot. It isn't that strange."

"So Lance has been trained in throwing?"

"... I'm beginning to think this is something that has to do with us being humans and you being Altean."

"What is this about throwing?" Allura walked into the room, pausing to give both Coran and Lance an appraising look.

"OF COURSE!" Pidge yelled suddenly. The entire group turned to stare at her, confused. Seeing this, she launched into an explanation.

"We've already learned that humans are a lot different than most aliens, maybe all. We have high tolerances to things that are considered deadly, we adapt to new environments and temperatures with ease, we literally consider living with other predators that aren't sentient to be completely normal. It would make sense that Alteans..." Pidge paused for the drama, "...are like primates." Lance, Hunk, and Keith all let out noises of understanding, though Shiro, Allura, and Coran remained confused. Lance clicked his tongue, ignoring the weird looks he got from his alien peers, and instead started his own explanation.

"In the Garrison, we had an entire biology unit dedicated to the fact that humans are extremely unique compared to Earth animals. One of the biggest discussion topics was the one about how primates, our closest biological counterparts, can't throw things very well. But humans..." Lance stopped, jerking his leg from Coran's grasp, and stood. He grabbed a small roll of bandages, then turned sharply.

"Catch!" Hunk caught the roll, tossing it to Shiro quickly. The leader snatched it from the air on reflex, chucking it at Keith's head, who then lobbed it at Pidge. The motions quickly escalated into a game of hot potato, though there was no timer. Lance almost dropped the bandages when Hunk faked throwing it at Shiro again, before instead flinging it towards his buddy. The Cuban caught it with his foot, bouncing it up into his hands and launching it back at his bro.

The Alteans watched on, frozen in abject shock. They had been so sure that most of the Paladins had never completed their training, but here they saw that the humans could throw with extreme speed and precision. If it was something they all could do, then it was no wonder Shiro didn't question Lance's accuracy.

"When did you all learn to throw?"

"Two! Booyah!" Lance cheered as he flung the roll into the bin where it was meant to be.

"You are very skilled for having learned two decaphoebs ago. Or rather, less than two, given your strange times," Coran praised. The humans shared weird looks with each other, preparing themselves for what was about to happen.

"Um, Coran," the Blue Paladin began. "I didn't learn two decaphoebs or two years ago."

"Then what did you mean by two?" Allura inquired, curiosity piqued.

"I learned when I was two years old."

"You learned... how to throw... with speed and accuracy... at less than two decaphoebs old?"

"Yep. It's a little early, but my brothers wanted me to start practicing so I could join some sports when I grew up. Probably why I'm the sharpshooter now."

"How do you say that so casually?" Allura demanded. "It takes decaphoebs of experience to learn to throw with even a little accuracy. Alteans and Galrans can throw with some speed because of our strength, but even then, we cannot throw much more than a few meters. Coran can throw due to practicing since he began his training, but he misses a quarter of the time."

"Well, humans have the natural ability to throw with a bit of speed and accuracy, and we have a lot of activities that are based on that fact. Sports like basketball, baseball, football, ultimate frisbee, all of them require being able to throw. I learned to throw better at a younger age, but things like a simple game of catch is pretty simple. What we just did was easy because we aren't that far from each other and there are only so many directions that we'll aim for." Hunk shrugged as he finished his answer. He had been the most involved in that unit of the Garrison.

"You all can throw because of biology? Not training?"

"I mean, if we want to throw better, we still have to practice, but yeah, that's the basics of it all. Watch. Lance, go long!" Hunk tugged off his shoe, waited for his bro to reach a certain spot, then hurled it through the air. With a small jump, the Cuban caught the shoe and threw it at the ground.

"WOOHOO! I LOVE THIS DAY!"

"Lance enjoys catching and throwing things more than a lot of activities. Do it enough and he's basically a dog. I once literally played a game of fetch with him because he was having a depressed day. Perked right up and I could barely keep up for the rest of the day."

"Perhaps we should include throwing in our training, then," Coran suggested. The next moment, the Altean was receiving a hug from behind as Lance laughed ecstatically.

"¡Gracias, gracias, gracias!"

"What?"

"He's saying thank you. Lance, let go and I'll find a stick for you."

"Puedo ser humano, pero mi alma es un perro."

"Si hermano. Now let go of Coran." Lance did so, racing out of the room with Hunk trailing afterwards. Pidge and Keith followed, wanting to see if their comrade would actually play fetch with a stick, and Shiro hesitated before tagging along, not keen on an actual injury happening.

"Coran, I believe it is yet again time to update the guide."

"Indeed."

Humans have the ability to throw with amazing speed and accuracy, developed from a young age. They are born with a larger natural aptitude for throwing, and improve upon it as they mature. If the word 'Kobe' is heard, assume that a Terran has thrown an object and most likely hit their target. Some humans enjoy throwing and catching objects more than is considered usual. These humans are likely to be more proficient at throwing, and should be given many opportunities to practice their skills.

Terrans also sometimes participate in competitive games called 'sports' or simple recreational games called 'catch'. These are based off their throwing abilities, and often including passing a specific item between players via throwing. Do not get directly between two or more players, as, while humans will often change their targets, they may be attempting a pass at that moment and the speed at which they throw could cause physical harm. Do not distract a player for this same reason.

Both Alteans and Galrans would need to train for over twenty decaphoebs to be at the same skill level as many mature humans are naturally. For an example of this, a clip is included of the Paladins of Voltron, who are all Terran, playing a game of 'catch'.

[v3nusaphr0d1t3]

i’m in love with a stripper

crossposted on ao3: <3 rating: mature warnings: strip club environment, suggestive themes (no actual smut tho) gender neutral stripper!reader x hawks. afab implied but can be read either way.

your job was to look good, feel bad, and entertain. in the most literal sense.

life as an ‘exotic dancer’ wasn’t nearly as glamorous as movies and shit made it out to be. your body ached constantly, you had nearly fought about 4 people in the past two weeks, and you came home in the morning smelling like alcohol and sweat and some random cologne. the pay wasn’t amazing on its own, so you had to rut yourself against old men to pay your rent.

and yet, it was addicting in a way you couldn’t exactly explain. you had wanted to work in the entertainment industry since you were little, a star up on the big screen. this was sort-of similar. you had eyes on you at all times, and it was your job to put on a great show. but instead of red-carpets it was party favors and gross back-room carpeting. 

it was good workout, and you knew you looked good enough to taste, so that was always a plus. tonight, you were all dolled up, one of your more femme looks. your shorts were riding low on your hips, yet still stopped so high on your legs that it could be considered more of a belt than a pair of shorts. your thong straps framed your hips, bright red in comparison to the blue jean shorts. you had a red bikini top on, and a crop top that was yet again just another shred of fabric framing it. your shoes were red and tall enough to make you feel like you were on top of the world. 

you had gotten used to the sashay and drama of all the bullshit presentation, perfected your sultry stare, and polished your pole skills. yes, you could use work. but so could everyone, it was an art that you were still constantly trying to learn more about. 

so as you walked your way out on stage on a busy friday night, you could tell that tonight would be a good tip night. first off, there was MUCH more security than normal, which meant that someone important was probably in attendance for some kind of ‘special night’. they got bachelor parties and birthday parties all the time, but usually they weren’t this… guarded?

 it was strange, but you instead focused on feelings the rhythm in your bones as you strutted your way up to the pole, starting to go into one of your choreographed routines that you knew like the back of your hand. though you supposed you could throw in some more risky moves, for whoever was currently paying for your console gaming subscription. being in the air was always exhilarating, but you were always worried about flashing too much. you knew that it would happen eventually, but you would still prefer for it not to.

you spun too fast on your way down and got that wobbling feeling in your stomach as your heels hit the stage a bit too hard to be ‘graceful’. oh well, you thought as you moved to the more floor-based part of your routine. you brought your hands up, running them over your body and pulling at your crop top, pulling it off and throwing it further back on the stage to be retrieved when you were done with your set. 

you made it slow, teasing, swaying your hips to the beat of the song and running your hands back down, under the strings of your thong to snap them against your hips. it was effective, but it was hard not to wince in annoyance. you were too salty to do this shit. it was a lucky thing that you were so good at acting. you slid further onto your knees, back arched as you looked some random guy that was halfway decent and crawled forward. that was something that always racked in tips. it made folks feel engaged with the whole experience. the guy held up a 20 and you stuck it under your thong strap, moving to collect more of the money that had been thrown at you.

you were honest with yourself when you said you loved the attention that this job brought. there were many people out in the crowd that wanted you, that sat in their chair or stood amongst the sweaty crowd with a white-knucked grip and lust in their eyes, and you ate it up. you loved being wanted, it was one of the worlds wonders. 

eventually, you finished your set, hair tousled from flipping it, back of your knees and your hands sore from gripping the pole, but ultimately you felt invigorated. energized. like someone had wound you up like a toy. and now you had to pounce on someone in hopes of attention and the money you needed to buy that new game you had been saving up for. comical.

you could tell a bunch of the dancers were anticipating the party that was in tonight. it was obvious they were important, and important people had money. so the dancers that weren’t on the stage currently were prowling around the VIP area, looking to advertise themselves.

you decided to do the charity work and tend to the rest of the forgotten crowd. you knew from experience that eventually the richer guests would get tired of giving their money away and eventually leave. and the rest of the crowd was just sitting there, so you slipped your way in to the seats that were closer to the stage (shitty stripper etiquette, but some of thesen dancers were fuckin’ shady sometimes) and found some dude who looked wimpy enough to play the whole deity act with. 

you walked your way around the chair, placing your hands on his shoulders and beginning to rub them, your hand making it’s way down his chest as you whispered a greeting in his ear. you used your other hand to run through his hair, plucking the bill in his hand out of his hand and into your g string on your hip with the rest of them. you moved back around the chair and plopped down on his lap, feigning interest and asking him about his day, making him feel special with the whole shebang. you eventually were able to make quiet some money from that guy, surprisingly. and you left him alone and unsatisfied when the lights dimmed between sets. 

now, to find someone else out of sight of the first guy. you were on your way to do that when something caught your eye. a glimmer of gold, no- not metal, someones eyes. you were momentarily mesmerized before you realized that the person attached to those honey irises was staring at you. at you. from the VIP booth. while you were in the middle of the crowd. you were never flustered, so it was new when you felt a heat in your cheeks. 

you quickly put your act back on, throwing him a wink. he made a ‘come here’ motion with his finger, but you gave him a playful grin and a little teasing wave of dismissal. you had no idea what came over you to do that, but you decided to stick with this little ‘hard-to-get’ persona, and you disappeared into the crowd. 

not 10 minutes later you were grinding on some guy through your shorts, just to work that 50 out of his hand. he was one of the assholes that would promise and never give. it was hypocritical for you to think that way, you supposed, but it was your job. either way, you got it from him by nosing up his neck (too much cologne) and giggling in his ear. and he put the bill in your g-string himself. gross.

you slid away from him between sets like you always did, and once again felt the heat of eyes on you. this was different, however. it wasn’t like the usual eyes on you, the gazes you had grown to crave and expect. this was predatory. you were being watched like a hawk. you spun around to find him staring at you again, this time split off from his little friends and instead sitting in a chair further back from the stage. he gave you a certain look and raised his hand, waving a bill in his hand. like bait! that was hotter than it should have been. 

still, decided to make your way over to him, stopping in front of his chair, towering over him in your platform heels as he sat in the chair. he didn’t seem too physically imposing, but his energy was cockier than shit and you could tell he was bulked up. you usually didn’t fuck with these types, but something about him was just magnetic. it was insane. he leaned back in his chair, obviously insinuating that he wanted the same treatment as the others. you instead took a singular finger and raised his chin up to meet his eyes as they ran you up and down. 

and that was when you realized, under the dim lights, that you were a complete and total idiot. you hadn’t even realize that the man in front of you was hawks, number two pro hero and the man too fast for his own good. you tried not to make a face, but you knew he could most definitely see in your eyes the minute you put the puzzle pieces together. what the fuck was he doing in a place like this?

“what the fuck is someone like you doing in a place like this?” you asked, coming out of your mouth before you could really stop yourself. he only chuckled, grinning as you felt his jaw tense against your finger. the main reason you didn’t recognize him is because there was a lack of giant red wings.

“what anyone else is tryin’ to do. have a good time! it’s my friends birthday, i have a life outside work, you know?” his voice was barely heard over the pounding of the music and the bass rattling under your feet. 

“what about your reputation? i’m surprised there isn’t a line to gag on your dick at this point,” you held no filter in speaking to him. you never had it with anyone else, really, and what was so special about him? he was just another dude in the club, so you did what you always did and slid into his lap, pressing your bodies together in all the ways you knew did the best. you watched something flash in his eyes as he bit his lip for a moment. he looked back up to meet your eyes again.

“well, how long did it take you to recognize me? and you’re sober, aren’t you?” hawks brought a sculpted arm up to wrap around your waist, and you slapped it away as you worked your hips against his to the beat. 

“no comment. and no touching, unless you want to pay for that too.”

“i might just have to. what’s your name, gorgeous?” his face was too smug for a man who could buy the building, yet completely in the the eye of the public had a semi hard-on for a stranger in some daisy dukes. 

“i don’t know, what’s yours?” you asked, raising your eyebrow. you didn’t know his real name, no one did. it was a mystery highly speculated about online, not that you checked or anything. 

“fair enough, fair enough. pick one before i blow a couple hundred on getting free roam to touch you.” he said, rolling his hips up to meet yours. this shocked you, catching your breath, and you knew he had noticed by the shit-eating grin he wore. 

you gave him your stripper name. it was sufficient enough to add another layer of mystery, because even though you were in his lap, you wanted to keep up this game of cat and mouse. predator and prey.

the thought of that made you tingle. you told him your rates, and he forked it over quite a fuckin’ bit. you stood up from where you were sat in his lap (thought the loss was more upsetting than you would care to admit). you took his wrist (his hand was big) and started to drag him back to one of the more secluded areas. 

you had to pass the VIP area to do that, and when you did, you heard a shout. it scared the shit out of you for starters, but hawks seemed to recognize the voice. it was coming from a woman with white hair and rabbit ears, currently cheering hawks on.

“fuckin’ get some, dude!” she said, and her voice was strangely familiar as hawks flashed an award-winning grin and a thumbs up. you winked at her and pulled hawks on with you.

you pulled him into a pseudo-room in the back. not cut off by doors, but isolated and split off by room dividers. you pushed him back onto one of the booth-like seats lining the wall.

the music was quieter back here, and it was easier to hear yourself think. the lights were dim and the bass was still thumping through the floor. there was no one back here, just you and him. 

“ ‘kay, so i’m technically not supposed to let you touch me, but you just paid for my groceries and they don’t really check the cameras here. also, you’re cute.” you rambled off, more genuine and clearer now that the music wasn’t so intense in the middle of the madness. and then, catching the beat, you started your ministrations, rolling your hips against his and hearing his breath catch as you wrapped your arms around his shoulders. 

“so i’ve been told,” he says with a shit-eating grin.

“don’t let it go to your head, princess.” you said, and he didn’t reply, too focused on oogling you.

his hands came up to hold your waist, and he put his effort into moving along with you, and his grinding did not go unnoticed. or unappreciated, for that matter. with his hips at your waist, he raked his thumbs under your thong straps and snaps them against your hips like you had earlier. it earns a breathy chuckle from you as you watched his pupils pin. you pulled back, standing and watching his face sour as his hands were pulled from your waist. but you decided to give him a little show, just ‘cuz you had a case of the hots for him and the way he was looking at you was much appreciated.

you now stood in front of him, towering above him as you toyed with the waistband of your daisy dukes. he simply bit his lip, practically eye-fucking you. it was exhilarating. you enjoyed the lustful gazes from customers, but this was on a different level. you felt truly alive, and yet like you were melting all the same. your insides felt gooey but you kept your perfected expression hard, movements practiced, sex appeal seasoned to flawlessness. and now you unbuttoned your shorts, pulling them down to reveal your bright red thong, hips, legs and torso all one long line. he looked at you like dinner and you were fucking living for it.

you kneeled inbetween his legs, laying your head on one of his thighs in the way you knew drove people crazy.

you heard a small “god damn,” exit his mouth as he looked at you, entranced as you caught his t-shirt on your way up his body with your teeth, pulling it up and dropping it back down, promptly standing up to slide backwards into his lap. you roll your ass where you know it’s appreciated and hear his breathing speed up behind you. you can practically hear his heart pounding to match your own, like a drum to the beat. your body laid down the bass, your eyes were the melody and he was drowning.

and when it was all over, poor guy walked out of the club with his fellow semi-disguised pro-heros with a raging hard on.

and later on, when you were pulling all your money out to count it, you caught a piece of paper rolled up along a $100 bill. it was his number. a pro-hero gave you his number. that was risky, especially in the type of place they were in.

you liked the risk he took. you put his number in your phone. 

[harrysweasleys]

opposites attract // f.w

Summary: Hi! Can I request a fluffy confession fic for Fred please? Y/N's gonna confess in a super simple way and Fred beats her to it with something really over dramatic? Thank you! xx

Warnings: nooooone

Word Count: 4.4k

A/N: can i just say that i love fred weasley with my whole heart. because i do. (gif not mine)

— —

The pouring rain and wind hit Y/N like a slap in the face as she tried her best to keep an eye on the Quidditch match in front of her. The chilly December air was not kind today, and the hundreds of spectators below would gladly agree.

She had been a Chaser for Gryffindor nearly three years now, but every game made her heart race. Especially when they played Slytherin. The rivalry was on fire, and nothing could diminish the thrill that occurred when the two teams met.

Except the downpour and freezing wind, of course.

Gripping her broom with her frozen fingers, she continued keeping her eye out, signalling between Katie Bell and Angelina Johnson and passing strategically, luckily scoring whenever she could.

She loved the game, but she really wished Harry would catch the Snitch right about now.

“Blimey, if we’re our here any longer I don’t think I’ll ever feel my ears again,” Fred’s voice was surprisingly clear over the sound of the wind howling.

“Do you ever feel your ears, Freddie?” she replied, whipping past a Slytherin beater and catching the Quaffle, Fred by her side with his bat held high, deflecting the Bludger without second thought.

“Good point,” he called back with a laugh, taking off and disappearing in the rain. She darted off towards the goalposts, dodging a Slytherin Chaser and launching the Quaffle. The loud applause from the Gryffindor below told her it had gone in.

“And Y/L/N gets it! Another goal for Gryffindor! This game is shaping up well, thanks Y/L/N for the beautiful goal, Slytherin never saw it coming! Not that I’m complaining — sorry Professor.”

She grinned at Lee’s commentary, Angelina and Katie coming by to pat her on the back. Gryffindor was now up by at least a hundred. It was looking pretty good for them. There was a massive sense of pride flooding though her body, as happened every time she scored. It was always an incredible feeling.

“Good one, mate,” George flew past her, nodding his head approvingly, the tip of his nose bright red due to the brisk air.

She nodded back, “Thanks, Georgie!”

Taking off once the whistle announced the game was back in play, her eyes began to sting once again. The cold wind was beginning to have an effect on her physical playing abilities. It was starting to numb her arms and make her quite miserable.

The game continued for another five minutes until Lee shouted, “Harry has caught the Snitch!” over the deafening cheers.

Y/N raised her hands in the air, so frozen to her broom she didn’t even need to struggle to keep her balance, “Oh, thank Merlin!” As the team celebrated on the field, Y/N took no chance and flew straight down to the Gryffindor tent, hoping to be inside the warm changing room and out of the cold.

She was the first one in, discarding her broom and her soaking, freezing robes and making her way towards her cubby. She was thrilled for the win, of course she was, but she was starting to feel exhausted out there in the disgusting weather.

“Oi, you ran off real quick,” Fred’s cheerful voice caused her to jump, placing her hand on her heart as she turned to face him. Her heart now began to race for another reason as he approached her, broadly grinning with pride.

“I’m cold,” she shrugged, trying to brush off the way he was smiling down at her.

See, Y/N was practically head over heels for Fred Weasley. And she had been for a while. He had captured her heart in their third year when he had played the most obnoxious possible prank on Filch when she was nearby. His wits, smarts and charismatic charm had caught her attention and she found it impossibly difficult to stray away from him. Not that she necessarily wanted to, but she thought it better for her poor heart that the more time away from him, the better.

But of course, that didn’t happen. She got placed on the team that year and eventually became really close friends with both Fred and George. Who were pretty much her only friends for a while if she were being honest. Through Fred and George, she met their siblings, whom she also got along with. But, the twins would still remain her best friends, despite the strong feelings she kept locked away for Fred.

“Fair point,” he nodded understandingly, “Good game, less than enjoyable conditions.”

“You got that right,” she chuckled, tossing her wet hair over her shoulder, plucking strands off that were stuck to her face, “I can practically hear the common room fire calling to me.”

“I’m pretty sure it’s calling to me, but you’re welcome to tag along,” Fred nudged her shoulder, walking over to his cubby and throwing his robes in.

“How generous of you,” she smiled sarcastically, the rest of the team starting to pile in, rowdy as ever after a good win.

She turned back to her cubby, tossing the wet gear in and grabbing the warm, dry sweater that she had so dearly missed during her time on the field. She turned and walked into the small bathroom, changing into her dry clothing and hanging her wet clothing in her cubby to dry.

“Thinking of stopping by Three Broomsticks, you comin’?” George approached her quickly, eyes wide in excitement and his hair dripping into his face.

She shrugged, “I’m gonna head back, but you have fun.”

Fred glanced at Y/N and turned to face his twin, “I’m gonna stay in too.”

George wiggled his eyebrows, but luckily for Fred it went unnoticed by Y/N, who was still ringing out her hair and trying not to wet her sweater to notice the brother’s interaction.

“Right, cute,” George grinned, “Well, have fun you two!”

Y/N snapped her head up, cheeks warm and a fuzzy feeling in her chest. She noticed that the rest of the team was following George out of the tent. She was going to be alone with Fred.

After the rest of the team had left the tent, she turned to face him. Her nerves were bubbling but she just tried to think about the fact that she spending the evening with a friend. That’s all he was to her, really.

She took notice of how the rain seemed to have died down, “We should head back. It’s raining less.”

He nodded, sticking out his arm for her to take, “Let’s go on, then.” She grinned like a child, locking her arm in his an exiting the tent. Luckily, most of the crowd had rushed out to celebrate with the group going to Hogsmeade, so Y/N and Fred managed to go back to the school with only a few people came over to congratulate them.

Once they entered the Gryffindor tower, a quiet crowd was sitting in the common room. Neville and Seamus were playing a game of Wizard’s Chess in the corner, and a group of second years were gathered around a table muttering something about classes.

“Good game, you two,” Seamus piped up, waving over at them, “Sorry we couldn’t make it. Longbottom isn’t feeling well.”

Y/N smiled at them, walking over to the couch, “Get better, Neville.”

“What she said,” Fred took his arm out of hers and sat down, “And stay away. Don’t want to be sick.”

Y/N slapped his arm and sat down next to him, immediately rushing to grab the blanket on the armrest of the couch and draping it around herself.

“Don’t get me wrong, I love the game and all, but playing really takes it out of you,” Fred tossed his head back against the couch, closing his eyes and letting out a deep breath, letting the relaxation hit him like a truck. 

Y/N lifted her arm and wrapped him up with some of the blanket, “Here. Now you can sleep.”

He opened his eyes and met her smile, pulling weakly at the blanket and bringing it up to his shoulders, “Yeah, because this is so comfortable.”

The two of them were now encased in the warmth. Despite the weather they had played in, they were both producing a lot of body heat. Y/N just figured she was excessively warm due to the fact that she was so close to Fred, but would she let herself admit it? No.

“It’s not that bad,” she replied, also leaning her head back against the couch, “I’ve slept in worse places.”

He raised his eyebrow, “Where could you have slept that’s worse than this lumpy old couch?”

She laughed slightly, moving closer to him without realizing it, “I fell asleep on the floor of my aunt’s place once. Right at the top of the stairs.”

“Nice,” Fred chuckled, “Not as bad as the time I fell asleep in the stairs back home. Mum woke me up by tripping over me.”

Her eyes widened, a look of surprise on her face, “How on Earth could you have fallen asleep in the stairs?”

He smirked, “That’s for me to know.”

Her mind may have been playing tricks on her due to the dim lighting, but she swore he inched closer to her as well. She was using an insane amount of self control not to lean her head against his shoulder as she stared into his eyes, but she had to keep reminding herself they were just friends.

“Right, you keep your secrets,” she looked at him, playful suspicion in her eyes, “I’ll just ask George.”

He shook his head, tugging on the blanket as he did so, “Georgie’s my brother, he won’t tell a soul.”

“You tell yourself that,” she turned away from him to face the fire. It was nearly torture sitting this close to him without really touching, or having any sort of proper connection, when all she wanted was to just... lean in.

She hated the thought that he’d never find out how she felt about him. Would he find someone else? Would he fall for someone else? The thought was almost physically painful to her. Jealousy was not something she knew how to control — she had admittedly gotten jealous on numerous occasions where’d he gotten close to Angelina or another girl. He was naturally charismatic. Y/N couldn’t blame people for wanting to get close to him, he attracted them like a magnet.

But, every time she felt that twinge of jealousy, it was a nasty reminder that Fred was still completely oblivious to how crazy she was about him.

Feeling suffocated by both her thoughts and the increasingly warm blanket, she flung it off of her and stood up, practically shoving Fred over as she did so.

“Blimey, woman, what might your problem be?” he raised an eyebrow at her when she turned back to face him.

She forced a smile, “Nothing. I should probably go to bed.” Was she tired? No. But she did need some alone time to think about what she was going to do about her feelings.

“Oh, right,” Fred’s smile faltered a bit but he regained his cool and raised his hand in a salute, “G’night.”

“Goodnight,” she nodded her head curtly and took off towards the stairs and into her bed. Once alone, she let out a breath she didn’t even know she was holding.

And that’s when she decided, she was going to tell Fred.

— —

After Y/N rushed off to bed, Fred was left on the couch all by his lonesome, trying to figure out if he had done something wrong to make her rush away from him like that.

Had he been too close to her? Did he say something wrong? Albeit, they only spoke about sleeping in the stairs, but maybe it had come off wrong?

Fred, to say the least, was somewhat baffled. He had skiped out on going to drinks with the team so he could be alone with her, but now here he was, alone, and missing her already.

He hadn’t even noticed that Neville, Seamus and the group of second years had gone to bed. The only tell-tale sign that it was getting late was when George clambered in through the portrait hole with Harry, Ron, Ginny and the rest of the team.

“What’re you doin’ all by yourself?” George whispered, seating himself next to his brother, “Where’d the love of your life run off to?”

Fred snapped a hand over George’s mouth, “Keep your voice down, you git.”

George apologized with a sarcastic smile, “Well, where is she?”

Looking to make sure no one was listening on to the conversation, Fred leaned in closer, “She kind of... ran away.”

“Well, who wouldn’t?” George chuckled, leaning back against the couch and catching the glare Fred was sending him, “Maybe she’s just tired. We had a tough game. I’m sure it’s nothing.”

“I guess,” Fred shrugged, “I’m just overthinking.”

“Sleep it off, mate,” George pat him over the shoulder and stood up, “Which is what I’m about to go do.” Fred watched as his brother took off up the stairs and out of sight, the rest of the Gryffindors that had recently piled in going off to do the same.

Fred pondered on what George had said — maybe Y/N wasn’t upset and he was just one thinking. Maybe he was just being paranoid.

Either way, he decided in that moment that he was going to tell her how he felt.

— —

The bright sunlight poured into the Great Hall during breakfast the next morning, the Gryffindor table still buzzing in excitement at the win from the previous night. People wore their house sweaters proudly, taunting the aggravated Slytherins.

Poor Harry, Y/N noticed, had barely been able to eat a single bite without someone rushing over to pat him on the back and congratulate him.

“Poor Harry,” Y/N chuckled as she watched him get bombarded by another young Gryffindor, “He can never get any peace.”

Fred looked over to Harry before turning back and facing his plate, “Where’s the love for the Beaters?”

Y/N met his gaze, a smile on her lips. She wanted to tell him that she really admired him and kept an eye out on everything he did, but she was worried it could come off way too obvious. Telling him she liked his Quidditch skills was not the way she wants to confess. 

She had planned to tell Fred when they were alone. That way no one would overhear and if things didn’t go well, they could just brush it off and pretend it never happened. Or, so she hoped.

“What about me? Where’s my love at?” she looked around, “I scored eight goals. No one’s coming to thank me.”

“Well, I think you’re bloody brilliantly,” Fred beamed at her, “Best on the team.”

Y/N couldn’t help the blush that made its way onto her cheeks, the warm fuzzy feeling from his compliment getting to her immediately. He had complimented her on her skills before, but the way he looked at her as he said that one made her feel more flustered than usual.

“Thanks, Freddie,” she ducked her head to hide her pink cheeks, picking at a piece of food on her plate, “I think you’re pretty alright.”

Fred placed his hand over his heart, “Just alright? I thought I meant more to you, I am hurt.”

The blush on her cheeks seemed to darken even more at his playfulness, “You know I think you’re the best.”

He winked at her, “Course. I am the best.”

She fought back a grin. She was so hopelessly smitten, there was no way she could continue hiding it. She peered around, noticing that no one was sitting close enough to hear their conversation.

She had classes with Fred all day, so it might end up being awkward if he turned her down, but she couldn’t hold it in anymore. The sun was shining down on him, his bright hair glowing and his smile radiant. It was impossible not to.

“Fred — uh — I actually need to talk to you about something,” she placed her fork down and looked up at him, eyes flickering back and forth between him and her plate. Her nerves were causing her hand to shake, her head to spin and her eyes to avoid his. Her heart was skipping beats and she felt her insides churning.

“Well, 'm listening,” he grinned, although looking slightly concerned at her turn of mood.

“I—”

“Oi, morning, mate!”

Y/N was cut off by George taking a seat next to her, patting her on the back and grinning at his twin. She felt her heart sink, the heat rising to her cheeks as Fred greeted him back, completely unaware that she was about to pour out all of her build up feelings.

She loved George, she really did, but she couldn’t help feeling resentful as he sat next to her. He had ruined the moment she’d been building up towards for like... ten minutes now.

“What were you going to say?” Fred turned his attention back to her.

“Oh, nothing,” she brushed it off, “Just gonna say sorry for taking off last night. I, uh, had a headache.” Fred seemed to accept her answer.

“Don’t worry about it,” he replied, looking slightly relieved, “Didn’t take it personally.”

“Oh, okay, good,” she forced a smile, her mood shifting dramatically, “I should be off. I’ll see you guys in Charms.”

She stood up off her seat and ignored Fred calling her name, marching slowly out of the Great Hall and once around the corner and away from view, bolted towards the Charms classroom.

She hadn’t really thought about why she was running away, but she felt as if she had to get away from Fred to think straight. It was driving her mad that he had no idea, while she was crushing herself trying to get him to notice her feelings.

Fred was insanely clever, she knew this, but maybe girls weren’t his strong suit? He had mentioned to her a few months back that he’d never been on a date before — maybe he was just... lady shy?

She shook her head, not wanting to come up with excuses. She just wanted to tell him.

Taking her usual seat in the currently empty Charms classroom, she peered our the window. A couple was strolling slowly across the courtyard, their hands intertwined and both their faces beaming. She thought about what it would be like to do that with Fred, his long fingers wrapped around her hand and keeping her close. He always smelled like cinnamon and gunpowder — she had grown to love it — so if he held her close, she knew she’d have no problem. His fiery hair would shine under the morning sun, his freckles illuminated on his cheeks.

It was like a dream to her, the thought of then together.

“Daydreaming about me?” Fred’s voice caused her to nearly fall off her chair, heart leaping out of her chest and her face losing all colour.

“Fred! Godric, you scared me, you can’t just sneak up on people like that!” she was breathing heavily, all previous happy thoughts about him now gone as she focused on the real him, inches away from her and grinning like a fool. The colour flooded back into her cheeks.

“I would say sorry but I’m not,” he shrugged, grin widening, “That was brilliant. I always get the strongest reactions out of you.”

She glared at him, not in the mood to continue boosting his ego. Although, yes, she did always react so strongly because she was hopelessly in love with him and he got her more flustered than anything.

“Actually,” she began once she calmed down, “I wanted to say—,”

But unfortunately, once again, she was cut off by a group of Ravenclaws entering the class, rendering her speechless.

“You’re kidding me,” she groaned, tossing her head backwards and shutting her eyes.

Fred, confused as to her reaction, glanced back and forth between her and the Ravenclaws, “What?”

She sat up straight again, letting her hair fall into her face to hide her pout, “It’s nothing. Just forget about it.”

Fred, sensing she didn’t want to discuss the topic further, kept his mouth shut. Although it didn’t prevent him from gazing over at her every now and then, noticing that every time he did so, she was already watching him.

When the class ended, Y/N bolted out of the room, hating herself for behaving so strangely around him but wanting nothing more than to just spill everything and get it over with.

It was to drive her crazy.

— —

Two days.

She had been trying for two days to tell Fred, but every single time she had been interrupted. How? She had no idea. She had spend loads of hours alone with him, no one had ever interrupted her then. Why now, when she was on the brink of revealing her deepest, darkest secrets, did people decide to cut her off every time?

She was growing increasingly frustrated. And it didn’t help one bit that Fred was being more charming than usual around her. He had even told her she was beautiful yesterday. (She was probably never going to forget how incredible she felt when he said it.)

So, why? Why was everything going wrong?

As she laid in bed that night, contemplating what her next move was going to be, she couldn’t help but think that she was going to be too late. That a confident, witty, fun young woman would sweep in and take her place. The thought was nauseating, but it made sense. Fred was outgoing, bold, eccentric. He deserved someone who had the same traits as him.

Would she only be holding him back if she confessed?

No, she told herself, don’t doubt yourself.

So, the next evening, after spending the entire day with Fred — who was being cockier and more charming than ever — she stormed into the Great Hall with purpose.

She spotted Fred’s bright head sitting at the Gryffindor table, so she stormed up with determination and stopped as she reached him, hands on her hips.

“Merlin’s beard, woman, you look like you’re on a mission,” he grinned, pointing to the empty spot she usually sat in, “Before you say anything, you have a package.”

Caught off guard, she noticed the tiny brown box placed at her spot, the red ribbon tied into a neat little bow.

“But we only get mail in the morning,” she mumbled, reaching over and picking it up. It weighed nothing, but it seemed to be quite dense, “I guess I’ll open it.”

Opening the box, she missed the glance Fred and George shared. Once the lid was removed, she nearly dropped the box to the ground as tiny little pink fireworks, all in the shapes of hearts, emerged and crackled all around her.

“What the bloody hell—”

She had begun to lose vision, the tiny pink fireworks being the only thing she could see. They had surrounded her like she was a magnet, and the crackling so close to her hears it drowned out all the noise in the room. She wanted to raise her and begin smacking them away, but it seemed that whoever had done it had put so much effort into them that she just had to sit through it.

Once they began dying down, she could finally see the crowd around her. Every pair of eyes in the Great Hall was upon her, and as if she couldn’t get any more attention, her name was called from behind her.

She turned around, still blinking rapidly to regain her vision, and noticed that Fred was now standing on the table, a beaming grin on his face.

“Freddie, what are you—,”

“No, no, let me speak first,” he cut her off, “Y/N. There have been a lot of... interesting moments in my life. But, I must admit, none of those moments have been as interesting as you. You amaze me every day and you have since the first day I met you.”

Her breath had caught in her throat as she looked up at him, the sincerity in his eyes nearly making her knees buckle. Was he seriously doing this? Had he felt the same way this whole time?

“I’ve been genuinely blessed with having you around and I won’t take it for granted, promise,” he continued, now hoping off the table, “But I do have one question to ask you.”

She stared into his eyes, her brain practically mush, so she said the only thing she could think of.

“What is it?”

“Y/N,” Fred got down on one knee in front of her, grabbing her hand and holding it between his, “Will you do me the honours of accompanying me on a date?”

She could feel her lips forming into a smile without even thinking. Of course he had beaten her to confessing, and he did it in the most elaborate way possible. Watching him smile up at her made her feelings for him intensify by a thousand, there was no way she was going to deny him.

“I’d love to,” she nodded, cheeks pink in pure delight. Relief spread through her like a tidal wave as the realization that he did in fact feel the same way she felt about him. And she didn’t have to make a fool out of herself with a lame confession to find out.

Fred stood up, the proud expression never leaving his face as he pulled her close, “Good.”

Before he could lean down and press his lips to hers — which she had been wanting to feel for so long — they were interrupted by McGonagall, who stood with her arms crossed and an unreadable expression on her face.

“Mr. Weasley, fireworks are banned within the Great Hall. Detention Sunday night,” she nodded curtly and walked away, not letting him respond.

Y/N hid her giggle behind her hand, completely elated by the events that just unfolded. She felt herself get pulled into Fred’s side, who was still beaming despite the detention.

“What can I say?” he gazed into her eyes, “It was bloody worth it.”

And finally, after waiting for what felt like years, he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.

[jamiemackenziefraser]

All That Was Fair 

Chapter 15: The Woman of Balnain

Summary: Jamie finally sits down with a certain book.

Read on AO3

Read chp 15 on tumblr below the cut

Previous, masterlist, next

They spent the afternoon in lazy bliss. Together, they’d gone into the kitchen where Jamie had shown her how to whip up a burrito. Although most of it clearly went over her head, she had such a good time that she asked to make something else directly after he finished eating. 

After a brief explanation on how humans get full after eating, he gave in and offered to show her how to make cookies. 

Jamie felt distantly like his life had turned into a romcom as they baked cookies together. When Claire bumped him teasingly on the side, he grabbed a handful of flour and chucked it straight at Claire. Her mouth fell open in mock dismay before an impish gleam shone in her eye. Jamie learned that afternoon the true reason the word “impish” had originated to describe the fair folk. 

Claire was mischievous and exuberant in her retaliations. Handful after handful of baking supplies had been lobbed in his direction, shoved down his clothing, mussed into his hair, and even discreetly snuck into his pockets when he was later occupied with sticking the baking sheets of cookies in the oven. Long after their initial food fight had ended, Claire continued their little game. 

Later that afternoon while they sat together on the couch (the faerie’s legs draped over his, Jamie’s hands shoved under his own legs in order to keep from caressing her soft skin that was right there), Claire had produced a handful of oats from nowhere and shoved them down his collar. He’d flung her legs off, grabbed her waist, and threw her over his shoulder without a second thought as she squealed and thrashed. Stalking to the kitchen like a caveman with his prize draped over him, he unceremoniously plopped her down and then dumped an entire bowl of excess flour over her head. 

“I give up,” she screeched, smacking blindly at his chest with her flour-caked face still screwed up, puffs of powder exploding from her lips. 

“Promise? No more surprise attacks when I let down my guard?” he asked guardedly, trying to keep his grin out of his voice. 

“You have my word,” she promised. She gave him a grave, floury nod. 

Feeling quite magnanimous now that he’d won, Jamie grabbed a dishtowel, wet it, and then approached Claire. 

He cupped the back of her head, feeling her curls tangling between his fingers, and gently wiped the flour from her face. Once her eyelids had been cleaned, she opened them and stared up at him with a soft look. His bones felt like they had been turned to water to be receiving such a look, and he struggled to focus on the task at hand as he tenderly dabbed at the spots of flour still left on her face. She stayed quiet, just looking at him and allowing him to clean up the mess he’d made. 

How he loved her. 

When the moment finally broke, their gazes tearing apart, Jamie inspected her hair. 

“No way I’m gettin’ this out of these curls. Do ye want a shower, a nighean?” 

“I would never say no to a shower,” she beamed. 

So, he’d graciously turned it on for her and then explained that he was going to get some work done. Leaving her to it knowing full well that she’d be in there for a long time, he headed for his office. 

But it wasn’t work he had in mind. 

There was another matter tickling at his brain. One he’d been itching at for far too long. He’d barely had time to breathe, let alone sit down and address it, until just this minute. 

He needed to read the book that the eccentric bookstore owner had shoved into his hands.

Unsure how to explain the strange interaction to Claire and disinclined to possibly worry her over nothing, Jamie still hadn’t mentioned anything about it. He’d been waiting to read it until he had a moment alone. 

Settling into his office chair, Jamie stared down at the cover of the mysterious book. He was motionless for a few seconds, feeling a strange uneasiness. 

The title was The Woman of Balnain. It was short, perhaps a novella, and the description on the back said that it was about a time-traveling lass. Why would the mysterious Geillis give this to him? 

He was just about to start into reading, but as he opened the book, several sheets of paper suddenly fluttered out and onto his lap. Warily, he picked them up, turning them over to see what appeared to be hastily scrawled notes. 

The words at the top made him draw a sharp breath. 

“The Standing Stones of Craigh na Dun.”

The following notes seemed like a jumble to Jamie, the words swimming together in his mind in his haste to take them all in. He began to read so fast that several times he had to pause and reread. Geillis— at least he assumed that she was the author of these notes— wrote about planes of reality, magnetic fields, magical properties of the standing stones...

And below that was another section that was entitled “traveling.” 

Gemstones. One could travel from this plane to another— through the stones— by use of gemstones. According to this, only some people (or fae, he supposed) could travel. But those who could had discovered that gemstones ensured their safety.  

His hand was shaking so hard that he dropped the papers entirely. He brought his trembling hands up to bury his face into them. The gravity of the situation sat heavy on his shoulders as the realization descended. 

If this was true, he’d just been handed the way to get Claire back home. 

*

What followed was perhaps an hour of frantic, mind-bending sorting of thoughts. He read and re-read over and over, trying to ensure that he truly had understood the implications of the document. But no matter how many times he reviewed the words on the page, the meaning was clear: If Claire had a gemstone, she could safely use the stones to return to her plane. To her people and her life. Away from him. 

But then he spiraled into doubt. How did he know he could trust this mysterious Geillis and her instructions? But as much as he wanted to deny it— to dismiss the entry as garbage and all thoughts of Claire leaving along with it— he couldn’t ignore the feeling in his wame that this was the truth any more than he could refute the fact that Claire deserved a shot at returning home. Besides, something about Geillis had seemed odd… mystical perhaps. Not in the same way Claire did, but he certainly believed that whoever (or whatever) the bookkeeper was, she knew a hell of a lot more about this stuff than he did. And she’d known about Claire. So in the end, while he wasn’t certain that she was a friend per se, he thought it likely she was at least an ally— and he believed what was written on the page was the truth. 

Once Jamie had addressed comprehension and credibility, he moved on to his sorrow. 

Grief over the thought of losing Claire. 

He was no longer lying to himself about the extent of his feelings. He was in love with her, plain and simple. Infatuated, enamored— all those things— but it went deeper than that. She’d walked her way straight into his heart and burrowed in there as sure as she did when she nestled against him in his bed. And now that she’d filled that empty space in his life, he couldn’t even imagine going back to the hollow loneliness of existence without her. 

Every part of him longed not to tell her. He could crumple up the page and throw it away, or better yet, he could burn it up without a trace, and she’d be none the wiser. 

But his mind swirled with images, memories eating at him that he couldn’t quite ignore. Claire crying against him only a few days ago, weeping for all she’s lost. Her trepidation as she’d faced the terrifying unknown of the city. The sheen of tears in her eyes that she’d fought back as she admitted Jenny had made her scared… 

As he thought about all she’d been through since being ripped from her home, he knew that taking away the chance to return would be unfair. He wanted to be selfish— God, help him, he burned with it…

But he loved her enough to let her go. 

A tear leaked out of the corner of his eye— scalding as it dripped down his cheek. He sat motionless in his office chair, his hand squeezing his opposite arm so tightly that the nails made deep red indents in his flesh, but he knew what he had to do. 

He’d tell her. 

Decision made, Jamie stood from his desk. His feet felt like they were encased with lead, and he was light-headed, as if all that thinking and agonizing had sucked his brain out with a straw. As horrible as he felt, he was resolved, and he made his way sluggishly downstairs. 

The scene in the living room nearly shattered that decision. 

Claire was asleep on his couch, all curled up and shoulders hunched under the fuzzy throw blanket she had clutched around her. Her bonny pink lips were parted just slightly and tiny whooshes of air tickled a single curl that had fallen over her face. 

He ached to see her like this for the rest of his life. 

Just as he was about to turn on his heel and leave her to her rest (this was not the time for such a heavy revelation), she stirred. His stubborn feet anchored him in place as he watched her shift, head lifting a bit, and her eyes blinked open. 

“Hi, Jamie,” she breathed sleepily. 

While giving him a fond but drowsy smile, her head nestled back down onto the throw pillow. She looked up at him with eyes that always reminded him of a fawn’s. 

“Havin’ a wee rest?” He asked tenderly. 

“Yes,” she breathed. She glanced him up and down appraisingly and then said, “maybe you should too. You seem tired.” 

Jamie was tired. He felt like he’d been put through a meat grinder several times over. Still, he knew there was no way he’d actually sleep even if he could tear his eyes away from her long enough to close them. 

But if Claire wanted a nap, and was hinting for him to join him, who was he to deny her?

He indulged his selfish desires for a moment and approached the couch so he could bend down and run a hand over Claire’s hair. 

She smiled drowsily and leaned into his touch. Her eyes blinked slowly as she gazed up at him. 

God, she was beautiful. 

“Let’s go upstairs, mo nighean donn,” he suggested quietly. 

His sleepy faerie did not seem inclined to get up. Her eyes had fallen closed again, but her hand blindly reached out for him. She caught his cheek, her fingers tracing over the stubble on his jaw. 

Then, suddenly, her eyes popped open. 

“Are you alright, Jamie?” she asked, her whisky gaze swimming with concern. 

Her abruptness startled him, but he quickly snapped himself out of it and put on his brave face. 

“I’m fine, Sassenach. Do ye want to stay on the couch or go up to bed?” he softly asked. 

Her brows furrowed, disbelieving, but she firmly answered, “with you.” 

He felt bad that he’d upset her but couldn’t seem to drag himself out of the cloud of depression that had wrapped around him the moment he’d decided to take her home. 

But he’d have this one last time with her, and he wouldn’t ruin it with dark thoughts. 

“Alright. Let’s go, mo nighean donn.” 

She sat up, eyes fixed on him all the while, and then took his hand. The way she was looking at him, soft and searching, made his heart skip a few beats. He hardened himself to the overwhelming desire to pour out his heart to her, lay all the cards on the table, and beg her to stay. But he knew in his bones that this wasn’t the time. 

Her thumb was tracing lightly over his knuckles, patient as he struggled inside himself. 

A part of him wanted to bury his face in her neck and let her stroke his hair— she would do it, he knew. All it would take was him to make the motion, take the comfort from her. 

But that wouldn’t be fair. If she saw his distress, she would feel guilty about leaving him. He loved her too much to put that burden on her. 

His puir heart was breaking, but he managed to wrap it up in a thin layer of composure, scoop up his scrambled thoughts, and put himself back together. He gave her a brave smile, feigning nonchalance. 

Breaking the silence, he said, “let’s go, mo calman geal.” 

He took her upstairs by the hand. She was still sleepy, but not inclined to let that stop her from caring for him— even if she had no idea what was going on. He could feel her hovering anxiously by his side, trying to figure out what was wrong. 

As they sat down on the bed, Claire tried to tug him down to cuddle with her, but he shook his head. Settling against the headboard instead, he guided her down to lay her head in his lap. 

He wanted to watch her. Just this one last time. 

Sleepy as she was, but probably even more so because she wanted to do whatever was best for him, she complied. She snuggled down into his lap and settled herself so she was comfortable. 

As he carded his fingers through her hair in gentle strokes, Claire began to relax. It wasn’t long before she drifted back into sleep. The lines on her face smoothed, and she seemed to melt into him impossibly further. 

His hands still moving soothingly against her, Jamie returned to his thoughts. A terrible weight rested on his shoulders as he came to a realization. 

He wouldn’t be strong enough to tell her here— in his home that had become their home (at least he felt that it was theirs)— and still manage to make the drive to the stones. It was selfish to keep this from her, but he simply wouldn’t be able do it. There were limits to his goodness, and he prayed God would forgive him for this one. 

So, with his mind made up, a plan began to form. 

He would tell her tomorrow that they were going for a hike. They’d drive out to the stones, and he would explain once they got there. His Grandfather’s ruby ring laid on his dresser— that would be what he’d give her to ensure safe passage. And then… then, she’d go home. 

And that was that. 

This was his last night with her. 

He looked down and studied her face for a long time, trying to memorize every tiny detail. He knew it would be the remembrance of her that would warm him on the cold, lonely days that would surely follow. He traced her face reverently, first with his eyes, and then as his selfish, breaking heart took over, with soft touches of his fingertips. 

All that was left was to pray that tomorrow he would have the strength to send her away.

***

A/n: I believe now is the time for me to hide 😳

Next

[dreamyaqua]

Can you talk about Heeseung from enhypen on an astrology base please? Like ideal type or just an explanation

First of all, I have to admit that I haven't watched I-Land and am completely unfamiliar with Heeseung. However, I thought it would be interesting to try and analyse his chart nonetheless. Since I have no idea what he's like, my analysis is purely based on my interpretation of his chart, so I might be totally wrong as different placements can play together in various ways and I might not have gotten it right. However, I thought it would be interesting to see how accurate an analysis from someone who isn't familiar with him could be, so please, I'm curious, let me know how accurate or how far off you think I am with my analysis!!^-^

And of course, please also take this with a grain of salt as I'm not an expert at astrology and unfamiliar with him on top of that.😅

Libra sun ☀️ Virgo moon🌙 Libra Mercury 💬Virgo Venus ♀️ Capricorn Mars ♂️ Libra Eros ✨ Leo Juno ✨

Here we have the shy and awkward social butterfly. With his Sun in Libra, Heeseung possesses a natural and captivating charm about him but with his Virgo Moon, he might be more shy, awkward, and less outgoing compared to your usual Libra sun. He's likely to be a great listener, very caring and giving. He's a responsible soul, and would make a great leader. He wants to be useful to others and you can definitely count on him.

His air Sun combined with a Virgo Moon intensifies his intellect, he's a very logical and analytical person, he challenges what's being told to him. He's someone who loves discussing new ideas, is a seeker of truth and fairness, and who also has a flair for original works.

With Libra being ruled by the planet of beauty and love - Venus, he is likely to admire loveliness in all its forms; in music, art, decoration, and people. He's just got that eye for beauty and aesthetics, he's gifted with imagination, flair, and enthusiasm. I could imagine he'd love to compose his own music at some point but he could hit some roadblocks on the way, his own perfectionism and overthinking getting in the way of his creativity. He's got a tendency to set very high standards for himself, and possibly others as well, he's very critical of himself and his work and might (secretly) struggle with his self-worth and self-esteem.

Both Libra and Virgo are signs that dislike anger, conflict and confrontation, so he might go along with someone else's opinion, even if he secretly disagrees, for the sake of keeping harmony. He's essentially a people-pleaser. He's gentle, friendly, and sympathetic with others, and despite having a more shy and reserved demeanor, he likes being around other people and working in a team, he's simply not a loner. He actually works best as part of a team (as Libra is the sign of partnerships), it's where he can do his best creative and intellectual work.

A struggle that comes with being so critical and having high standards, though, is being indecisive. Heeseung prefers to always weigh the pros and cons of every situation, he wants to make the perfect and fairest choice. He'd actually be able to intuitively know what the best choice is but then he starts intellectualizing the answer and might go off in the wrong direction. It's a typical overthinking thing where he doesn't fully trust his own intuition just yet, causing him to struggle with making decisions.

He's also likely to be pretty easygoing due to his Libra Sun, throw his Virgo placements and his Capricorn Mars into the mix, and he becomes very hardworking, diligent, ambitious with high goals, more fierce, magnetic, and maybe even commanding in the way he exerts his energy and shows his drive. His strength is definitely his endurance and stamina, he possesses a certain self-reliance and once he's committed to a goal, he won't back down until he gets to the finish line. He's strong-willed and possesses a big amount of self-control, seeing him break out into a fit of rage is likely very, very rare. With that being said, he tends to bottle up a lot and even though he might portray a strong front, there's likely to be a softer and more insecure and vulnerable him beneath the surface but he hides that part of himself, as he's scared of feeling vulnerable.

In matters of love, he could lack self-confidence and his shyness might really show. With a Virgo Venus along with his Virgo Moon, he's more of the reserved type and he might be very cautious about falling in love. The Virgo energies make him quite sceptical, so he will likely be very selective of who he lets into his world. He might even go as far as self-sabotaging his chances at love out of a fear of being taken advantage of. Nevertheless, if he does get into a relationship he will be a very committed, loyal, romantic and affectionate partner. He will romanticize every day life with you, leaving a little spark wherever he goes. Suddenly, doing chores around the house like cleaning up, or cooking with him could feel a lot sweeter and less burdensome. If he's your boyfriend, he wants you to be happy and he'll be always there to help you out in different ways. He might almost take on the role of a provider or even a parental figure, enjoying a practical and stable relationship. He wants you to feel safe with him, although his Virgo Venus - Capricorn Mars combination might make him a bit of a control freak, he's likely to enjoy order and routine, might even be a bit of a clean-freak and can tend to be nit-picky when there's too much chaos around him. This nature might also show in the way he'd treat you, he's likely to be a bit possessive and even deal with some feelings of jealousy.

✧･ﾟ:*Ideal Type✧･ﾟ:*

In his ideal partner, he's looking for someone who understands his worries, is empathetic, reassuring, and listens to his complaints. He's a lover of beauty but not exactly a flashy one, he loves natural beauties, people who just radiate a soft and natural charm. They don't have to get all dolled up for him all the time, he will always love them in their bare-faced, I-woke-up-like-this look. It's also okay with him if they lack confidence or are shy, it's endearing to him and makes him want to take care of them even more.

He will be very attracted to people who are hard-working, diligent, and determined to achieve their goals. A certain aura of professionalism and a classy look might catch his eye. With these placements, there might also be a tendency to be attracted to someone who is older than him.

Since his earth placements make him reserved and very controlled when it comes to his own emotions, he might feel attracted to someone who is more fiery in nature, someone who's not shy to express themselves and their emotions. They shouldn't be loud and boisterous, however, he does prefer someone who's more on the humble side. A big no-go would be someone without proper manners, someone who's rude, impolite and lacks integrity, as these virtues are important to him. He will definitely expect a lot from his partner, as he can be quite picky with whom he deems worthy of his love and time.

His ideal partner should be very attentive and only have eyes for him, he wants them to be romantic, expressive, and generous. Someone who's able to take him out of his shell and show him how to have fun. A plus would be someone who has an eye for art an aesthetics as well, as he finds creativity very attractive. Also, someone with a clean appearance and who's fashionable, someone who knows how to present themselves to the world.

disclaimer: I got this ask before I posted my rules/guidelines and I thought it would be interesting to try interpreting a chart from an idol I'm not familiar with. Maybe I got it all wrong, if so, I'm really sorry. From now on, I prefer to stick to the groups mentioned in my rules/guidelines.💞

[dakotafinely]

AAAAA I loved it!!!!! Thank you so much!!!!! Mama O’Neil is so awesome I love her!!

Raph: I bit a guys finger off?

He’s a chomping boi

Spider-Man meme with Mama O’Neil and Splinter let’s go

April: well now I know where I get the magnet to weirdness trait

Mama O’Neil after the initial shock and story: sweet Jesus you got big

Oh my goddddd PLEASE continue this!!!!! I desire the turtles to meet April’s other mom!!!

I-

Thank yooooooooooooooooou!!! And I will because you're SO FREAKIN NICE AND DESERVE THE WORLD LSKDJDOSNDHFOSNDHDIDND-

Also, I finally gave her mom’s names!

(Uh, here’s part one and part two for anyone who hasn’t seen ‘em!)

--

"My goodness! You're only fifteen? You're so big now!" Mama had commented. The conversation of the evening seeming to be like catching up with old friends. The smell of fresh food and the warmth of laughter put April at ease. This was better then even the best outcome she'd thought of initially.

"Granted, you were barely the size of my arm the last I saw you!" She said with a bit of laughter before passing the green bean casserole of to Leo. Who was probably having thirds by now.

Raph shrugged awkwardly, still a smile graced his face. Equally as relieved as April was that this was going well.

"Ah, well Red had many growth spurts when he was a tot. At one point I thought he just wouldn't stop growing!" Splinter said with a laugh of his own.

“I’m glad you’re mom likes Pops,” Mikey whispered as he leaned in next to April. Who nodded in agreement. The two sharing a chipper grin.

“I’m still surprised Raph ate someone’s finger!”

“Hey! I only bit it off okay!” Raph says with a small cringe of disgust “No way I’d actually eat it,” he sticks his tongue out as if to emphasis the point.

“Yeah, well,” Mama had waved a hand dismissively at Leo, the one who’d made the comment. Taking a small sigh “he should’ve known better to be harassing animal’s like that. Mutant or otherwise. It’s like asking for trouble.” she says as if scolding the hunter.

“Hey, now we know why you’re a weirdness magnet,” Donnie point’s out to April, gesturing to her mama “it’s in your genes!” he says with a grin. April playfully glares and rolls her eyes at him. He’d probably been holding that one in for a bit April thinks with the shake of her head.

Meanwhile, a woman ran through the streets of New York City. Rushing through the crowd with a couple of suitcases behind her. A large grin on her face. She’d made back home within the day. Maybe they were still eating. She chuckled to herself.

With as much as Maya makes, probably she thought to herself. Making her way up a familiar apartment steps.

“Oh, hi Deloris!” The woman spoke startled, but didn’t miss a step as she continued up the stairs.

“Kairi? You’re back early!” The elderly woman shouted up to her.

“Yeah, figured I’d surprise the girls!” Kairi shouted back, out of view of the old woman. Still prancing up the steps with gusto. Deloris shook her head with a chuckle, that girl had to much energy to spend.

She’d made it to her home barely breathless. Still, tiny pants came from her as she quickly made a search for her keys. Eagerly opening the door and bursting through with joy.

“GUESS WHO MADE IT!?” She slid into the dining room only to freeze at the sight.

Four large green men, one furry rat-looking man. Eating with her daughter and her wife. She blinked rapidly, as if something was wrong with her eyesight. Trying to change them into human’s with each blink she did.

Maya gave a tiny awkward chuckle “Hi honey!” she chirped with a tense shrug. As the rest of the group stared back. Frozen in surprise and horror. Awaiting April’s mother’s reaction.

Kairi was Japanese. Looking more like a bean pole. Dressed in nice pants and a dress shirt. Rolled up sleeves and unbutton by a few, clearly meant to unwind for the day. Glasses slid a bit down her face as she didn’t move, staring at the boy’s and their father. Her hair was in a nice pixie cut, only partially messy from the wind outside.

“April, Maya, Bedroom, now.” She spoke, slowly making her way to the master bedroom with her suitcases. Eyes never leaving the group at the table until she was out of view. April and Maya were quick to follow. Looking at each other with nervous glances.

April looked back to the boys with an obvious nervous look. Mouthing the word sorry before closing the door behind her.

The boys just sat and waited.

--

“Anyone gonna explain to me why April’s friends are creepy green boy’s and a rat thing??” Kairi practically hissed as April closed the door behind her. She didn’t seem angry, more of worried and confused.

“They’re turtle’s Kairi,” Maya corrects “and don’t make fun of April’s friends! They’re good people,” she defends, placing a hand around April’s shoulder. April nods in agreement with her mama.

“I-” Kairi’s argument dies in her mouth when she sees the look of worry on April’s face. And she sighs “I didn’t mean to make fun of them,” she rolls her head, trying to find the words “but a little forewarning that your friends are a little... a lot different would be nice,” Kairi says with small gestures.

“To be fair we didn’t know you’d be home,” Maya and April speak in unison.

“It was supposed to be a pleasant surprise!” Kairi whines throwing her hands up in the air with playful exasperation. Unable to stop the smile from returning to her face.

“Well,” April says with a small chuckle “it was a surprise for sure,” and that makes her mothers laugh. Kairi kisses her wife on the cheek and her daughter on her forehead.

“Alright,” she says with a sigh “best go out there and make a proper impression then huh?” to which the two nod.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure those boy’s think your gonna kick ‘em out,” Maya comments, grinning at her lover.

“What!?” Kairi says, slightly offended “I wouldn’t do that!”

“Well how are they supposed to know if we never get out there?” April says slowly making her way to the door. Looking at her mother with a sassy smile.

“Alright, alright I get it!” Kairi retorts playfully, sticking her tongue out as she walked over. Putting a hand on her shoulder.

“Shoulda known I’d be getting something crazy, I fell in love with you after all,” Kairi says to Maya as she walks over. Maya just grinning dorkily as she shrugs.

“You had every chance to back out and you didn’t,” she shrugs as April opens the door “not my fault.” and with that. The small trio of family walks out.

The boys all resisted the urge to stand up. Afraid of startling April’s mother even more if they did so. Still, they all perked up to some degree as the family walked out. Kairi with a grin on her face.

“Hello everyone,” She says hands clasped together with mischief in her eyes “I’m Kairi! April’s other mom!”

--

Sorry it took so long to get out! I would’ve gotten it out yesterday, but it was best friends birthday and we were vibin’ and I lost track of time. Ya know how it be sometimes. I hope you like it! Honestly I loved writing this! It was an unexpected, but a happily made, short story!

And again, thank you so much for the asks! It was so much fun to receive them! And you’ve been so kind throughout it all! You’re so lovely and I hope you loved this piece as much as I did writing it!

[saylors-universe]

All Hands on Deck, four

Rowaelin Cruise Vacation AU

Masterlist here

word count: 3275

[This is an interactive story! I will include Authorʻs Notes throughout the chapters to inform you when to start a particular song that you can find here in the All Hands on Deck playlist (Also can be found on the masterlist). For the best experience, listen with headphones, AND FOLLOW ALONG WITH THE STORY. Please try to use your imagination when listening and reading - live through the words. Have fun :) - Saylor]

-

Day 3 - ANIELLE PORT - “Welcome to Anielle! The Ellywe Voyager will depart tomorrow at noon, so make sure you are back onboard!”

   “Wake up you lazy bum,” Aelin straddles atop Manon on her bed, pillow in hand, ready to hit and smother her. She strikes with the soft cotton once, reviving her comatose roommate. Aelin makes a move to strike once more when the aggravated, waken beast catches the pillow mid-swing, much to Aelinʻs surprise.

“Hit me again and Iʻll gut you,” Manon threatens with a deadly tone.

“Good morning to you too, sunshine,” Aelin smirks, gets off of Manon and heads towards their bathroom, “donʻt worry, I wonʻt take it personally. You do get grouchy when you donʻt get enough sleep,” she pokes her head out of the bathroom to look at Manon, “So who, pray tell, kept you out so late last night, a handsome activities director perhaps?”

“I have no idea what youʻre talking about,” Manon refutes drowsily, now sitting up against her bed frame. 

“Oh come on,” Aelin pushes back, now sitting at the foot of Manonʻs bed, “you think I havenʻt noticed the little ʻflirty thingʻ going on between you two?”

“Thereʻs nothing ʻgoing onʻ,” Manon shares with air quotes.

“Oh yeah? Well then whereʻd you go last night?”

“Nowhere, I just stayed back to help Dorian clean up from the show,” Manon gets cut off by Aelinʻs burst of laughter.

Aelin, breathless and on the brink of losing it again, “You? You helped him clean up from the show? Manon you have never once offered to be helpful or selflessly volunteered to do something for someone,” she giggles even more, “Oh my god, you are SO into him.”

“Oh shut up,” Manon throws the pillow at Aelin and she falls back in laughter, but because she was at the foot of her bed she ended up tumbling over and falls on the ground. Manon cackles at the sight of Aelin on the ground, getting up and flipping her off.

   Eventually they both calm down from their humorous morning and relocate to their patio balcony, looking over the docks and people watch. 

“Where are we?” Manon inquires.

“Anielle, Lys and Aedionʻs door says they went out on a hike and I have no clue where Elide and Lorcan went,” Chaol was from Anielle and from what she last heard, he was home visiting family, most likely introducing his new girlfriend to his parents. “You feel like getting off the ship and hitting up the supermarket?”

“Nah,” Manon shares, and Aelin feels a sense of relief, sheʻs not exactly sure why. Although it was highly unlikely she would run into him, she decided not to leave the ship at this particular port, just in case, after all the Gods did hate her and she wouldn't put it past them to somehow place her ex in her path. “Wanna look around the ship more? Iʻm sure thereʻs more to this big floating raft than just the pool and Sky deck.”

“Sounds like fun, letʻs do it,” Aelin was happy to have this time with Manon. It had always been Manon and Elide, the two roommates turned inseparable best friends. She could tell that ever since Lorcan entered the picture, Manon had been getting left out. Now, with them being the two singles in their friend group, they have time to get closer and become great friends.

   The two women get ready for the day, leaving their room after organizing their doorʻs magnets into the message “out exploring” and then they stroll off to the food bar before their day plans to grab a quick cup of coffee and say good morning to Emrys and Luca. To begin their adventure, they continue on the Lido deck, already familiar with the pool, they investigate the extensive food buffet bar. They find that Emrys and Lucaʻs station specialize in breakfast foods in the morning and then offer fresh burgers and fries for the rest of the day. A little further down they find the all-you-can-eat salad bar, the ice cream machines, and the dessert bakery. Aelin sets her sights on the most glorious stack of chocolate cakes she has ever seen. Her mouth waters and she begs Manon to stop for her to grab a slice and demolish it. 

   They move on to the opposite side of the pool, they happen upon the hot tub jacuzzi and the sauna rooms nearby. Traveling a little further down, they find four ping pong tables, three occupied with intense, heated games. They halt for a quick game on the remaining, open table. A game that Manon absolutely destroys Aelin at. Who knew Manon was so speedy and had the most precise hand-eye coordination? Also near the ping pong tables they notice giant chess and checker boards with giant, life-sized pieces. 

   They make their way to the stairs and travel up to the next deck, the Sports deck. They walk around, taking note of the basketball courts and the mini-golf putt courses. Taking the elevators to the Verandah deck, they find the fancy, dress up, sit down restaurant, The Antica. The two women agree to drag the rest of their friend group there later that night to finally have a family style meal.

   Moving to the Promenade level, where they knew the music room was located, they found a library and recreational center on the opposite side of the ship. Aelinʻs passions had always been music and reading so she found her comfort, happy place in the shipʻs library. She dragged Manon through the libraryʻs alcoves and bookcases, finding a brilliant, diverse collection of stories and works. 

Coincidentally enough, the two run into Dorian Havilliard, his nose stuck in a book in the deepest shelf in the library.

“My, my,” Aelin spooks Dorian who jerks up from his reading, “heʻs devastatingly handsome, and he reads, how very ostentatious of you Mr. Havilliard.”

He blushes and grins at the realization of being caught, “My preferred method of escape,” he closes his book and returns it to the shelf, “how may I be of assistance today,” his dazzling smile returning.

“Well being an avid reader myself, Iʻd love to share some recommendations with you later but for now could you point us in the direction of some attractions on this massive ship.”

“Absolutely, have you guys seen the dance club or the arcade/casino lounge bar yet?” The two shake their head, “Why donʻt I escort you guys?” They happily accept the tour and Aelin takes the role as wing-woman, nudging Manon closer to Dorian every so often. Aelin doesnʻt miss the murderous glare Manon gives her in warning, she just sticks her tongue out, scrunching her nose, and continues on. Dorian gives them the full tour of the dark, vacant dance club. She made a mental note to visit later and experience the chaotic night life first-hand. Then Dorian shows them through the casino lounge, Aelin sticking close to Manon in fear that sheʻd be tempted and fall victim to the trap of gambling, again. 

The three of them return to the main deck when Aelin gets distracted by the sound of soft piano playing. 

[A.N.] Play “Pantomime” by Ben Hammersley now, follow along, and let your imagination work. Find playlist here.

Aelin canʻt determine where the music is coming from, which intrigues and sparks her curiosity. 

   BREAK TIES

   BUT STRUGGLE WITH THE CHAINS IN LIFE

   YOUʻLL ALWAYS BE THE PUPPET WIRE

   STAPLED TO MY HEART

   IʻM WASHED OUT

   IN SORROW AND IN GLORY

   ITʻS ALL THE SAME OLD STORY

   BUT THIS WILL BE THE TIME

   AND I DONʻT KNOW WHY YOU CALL

   WHEN ITʻS ALL GOING WRONG

   OH, I DONʻT KNOW

   IʻLL TELL YOU WHAT YOU WANT

  AND I DONʻT KNOW WHY YOU CALL

  WHEN ITʻS ALL GOING WRONG

  OH, I DONʻT KNOW

  IʻLL TELL YOU WHAT YOU WANT

-  Aelin addresses Manon and Dorian, “Do you guys hear that?” 

   They both nod, looking just as confused and curious. They collectively take on the challenge of the mystery and peruse around the ship trying to find the source of the music.  -

   FORGIVE ME

   FOR ALL THAT I HAVE DONE

   AND ALL THAT I WILL DO

   ITʻS NOT BECAUSE OF YOU

   IʻM DARKER NOW

   AND DARKER WITH EACH DAY

   AS BOTH OF YOUR FACES

   START TO LOOK THE SAME

   AND I DONʻT KNOW WHY YOU CALL

   WHEN ITʻS ALL GOING WRONG

   OH, I DONʻT KNOW

   IʻLL TELL YOU WHAT YOU WANT 

  AND I DONʻT KNOW WHY YOU CALL

  WHEN ITʻS ALL GOING WRONG

  OH, I DONʻT KNOW

  IʻLL TELL YOU WHAT YOU WANT

   IʻLL TELL YOU WHAT YOU REALLY WANT

   TO HEAR

  TO HEAR

  TO HEAR

  TO HEAR

-   They follow the sound, leading them to the elegant ballroom. Aelin spots a small crowd, formed around where she last recalled the grand piano. The three respectively move around people to take part in whatever has captured everyoneʻs attention.   -

   AND I DONʻT KNOW WHY YOU CALL

  WHEN ITʻS ALL GOING WRONG

  OH, I DONʻT KNOW

  IʻLL TELL YOU WHAT YOU WANT

 AND I DONʻT KNOW WHY YOU CALL

 WHEN ITʻS ALL GOING WRONG

 OH, I DONʻT KNOW

 IʻLL TELL YOU WHAT YOU WANT

  IʻLL TELL YOU WHAT YOU REALLY WANT

   TO HEAR

-  Aelin slips in through a crack in the wall of bodies just as the maestro ends and the crowd applauses. She catches Rowanʻs attention, sitting at the piano, a soft smile plastered over his tanned, slightly pink from sunburn, face. He clears his throat, now fully aware of her presence, and then addresses his small audience.

“This one, I wrote recently, itʻs called Rome.”

[A.N.] Start “Rome” by Dermot Kennedy now, follow along, and let your imagination run wild. Find playlist here.

Rowan:   SO WHATʻS THE PAST FOR?

   IʻLL NEED IT IF LOVE DONʻT LAST LONG

   YOU CAN RUN AROUND INFINITE IN MY HEAD

   OH YOU CANʻT SEE, OH, IʻD STAY IF YOU ASKED ME

   NOW YOU KNOW I CARE, 

   BUT ITʻS HARD TO TELL WHEN YOUʻRE SCARED

   BUT LAST NIGHT

   IT HURT ME TO HEAR YOU SAY IT FELT BROKEN

   AND EVEN THOUGH I TRIED

   ALL THESE MEMORIES RUN MY MIND IN SLOW MOTION

   DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN

   MIDNIGHT DRIVES WHEN YOUʻD SING

   IʻD PLAY YOU SONGS YOU WERE IN?

   I JUST WANT TO BE THERE AGAIN

   DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN

   WITH ROME BELOW US THAT DAY

   YOU SAID, “I WISH WE COULD STAY”

   I JUST WANT TO BE THERE AGAIN

   REMEMBER THAT FIRST LAUGH?

   ALL IT CHANGED ONCE I HAD THAT

   LIKE A HURRICANE, BUT I DONʻT CARE WHERE I LAND

   SO, DANCE CAREFREE, I HOPE ITʻS EASIER KNOWING ME

   NOW, YOUR SOUL IS YOURS, BUT IʻLL HELP IT MOVE IF I CAN

  BUT LAST NIGHT

  IT HURT ME TO HEAR YOU SAY IT FELT BROKEN

  AND EVEN THOUGH I TRIED

  ALL THESE MEMORIES RUN MY MIND IN SLOW MOTION

  DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN

  MIDNIGHT DRIVES WHEN YOUʻD SING

  IʻD PLAY YOU SONGS YOU WERE IN?

  I JUST WANT TO BE THERE AGAIN

  DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN

  WITH ROME BELOW US THAT DAY

  YOU SAID, “I WISH WE COULD STAY”

  I JUST WANT TO BE THERE AGAIN

   DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN, OH

   DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN

   I DONʻT EVER WANNA LEAVE WHEN YOU CRY

   I KNOW I GIVE YOU REASONS TO HIDE

   I NEED YOU TO STAY BY MY SIDE

   FIRST SHOOTINʻ STAR THAT YOU EVER SAW

   WE WERE RIGHT ON OUR FEET THOUGH, RIGHT?

   OPENING THE CAR DOOR FOR LIGHT

   I REALLY THOUGHT IʻD LOSE YOU THAT TIME

-   Their eyes lock onto each other  -

 DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN

 MIDNIGHT DRIVES WHEN YOUʻD SING

 IʻD PLAY YOU SONGS YOU WERE IN?

 I JUST WANT TO BE THERE AGAIN

 DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN

 WITH ROME BELOW US THAT DAY

 YOU SAID, “I WISH WE COULD STAY”

 I JUST WANT TO BE THERE AGAIN

  DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN, OH

  DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN

  DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN, OH

  DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN

   OOH, AH

   OOH, OOH

-  The crowd cheers and applauses, Aelin shortly following them once her heart slowed to a healthy pace. She offers Rowan a shy, sincere smile and then proceeds to grab Manon by the wrist and drag her back to the library where she letʻs out her panicked, disoriented rambling. Manon manages to calm her down by opening up a nearby book and getting Aelin to start reading. She spent the next few hours reading the book, totally oblivious to the real world and her surroundings. Once completed, she returns, finding Manon no where to be found. She probably went off to see Dorian no doubt. Aelin makes it to her empty cabin room and takes a nap, waiting for her friends to return.

-

Night 3 - ANIELLE PORT - “Movie Night: ʻBeauty and the Beastʻ Tonight on the Lido deck at 8:30pm, Come join us!”

   Aelin wakes from her nap right at the peak of the sunset. She enjoys the beautiful display of colors from the comfort of her cabinʻs patio balcony, basking in the silence and alone time.

   She leaves her room and notices across the hall on Lys and Aedionʻs door, the magnets reading ʻHomeʻ, so she knocks and to her surprise, Lorcan opens the door. He lets her in and finds all her friends; Lys, Aedion, Manon, and Elide in a heated game of cards.

“Hey sleepyhead,” her cousin greets, looking up from his unfortunately delt hand.

“How was your hike?”

“Oh it was awesome, right Lys?” 

“Oh yeah, it was so much fun, you guys should have come, we left really early though, we tried knocking on your door but you two must have still been sleeping,” Lysandra answers.

“Next time. And you guys?,” Aelin gestures to Elide,” what did you and Lorcan do today?”

“The cruise offered us some honeymoon spa sessions, so we got some couple massages today,” Elide grabs for Lorcanʻs hand, their engagement bands clinking. 

“Sounds fun”

“We were actually waiting for you, weʻre all going to get ready, dress up all nice and fancy and go to dinner. And then maybe weʻll stop by for the movie tonight?” Manon pitches.

They finish their game and everyone ushers off to prepare for dinner. Manon puts on a one shoulder, black to red ombre dress that falls all the way to the floor. She styles it with thin, black strapped, open-toed high heels and red, ruby earrings. Aelin decides to wear a deep blue, backless, form fitting dress with a deep v-neck, presenting her flattering cleavage, and a front slit reaching to her high-mid thigh. She styles her ensemble with creme colored close-toed heels, and a warm, creme-toned bracelet and pendant necklace.

The two meet back up with the group, everyone styled very fancy and professional. “Wow, you boys clean up nicely, and ladies you look as beautiful as ever,” Aelin exclaims enthusiastically. Aelin and Manon lead the way to The Antica on the Verandah deck. A server meets them at the entrance and informs them that there is assigned seating. He asks for their keycards and they provide them, he looks over their cards indicating their place on the seating chart and then leads the way.

   They are shown to a large, round table, able to seat nine maybe ten. They each take a seat, Aelin and Lorcan being the bookends with the other empty seats in between them. The waiter returns, taking the tables order for drinks, they order a bottle of red wine for the table. After about ten minutes, three very attractive men, in formal wear, are guided to the table by another server and they each take their seats. Connal takes the empty seat next to Lorcan, opposite Elide, Fenrys beside his twin, and Rowan next to Aelin.

“Evening everyone,” Rowan greets. His deep, sensuous voice sends a warm tingle down Aelinʻs spine. “Aelin” he says more quietly, and only to her, in greeting. Her eyes graze over his finely-tailored suit and his styled hair. Wow, she thinks to herself. How is it possible for him to look even more fine. Her train of thought gets cut off when the waiter returns with the bottle of wine they ordered, he then goes around taking drink orders for the new patrons.

“Iʻm fine with just a water, thank you,” Rowan informs the waiter. Aelin tries really hard to focus on the menu in front of her, but her eyes continually wander elsewhere. Before she knew it, the waiter confronted the table, jotting down everyoneʻs order for their entree. The waiter gets to Rowan and Aelin monitors his face, not exactly hearing any words. The waiter gets to her and still being undecided she blurts out, “Iʻll have what heʻs having.”

“Escargot?” Rowan questions in disbelief.

“Um, yeah, Iʻll have whatever he said,” she notifies the waiter, having absolutely no clue what escargot is. 

For the duration of the wait for their meals, the entire table take part in friendly discussion. They share jokes and laughs and Aelin recognizes feeling comfortable, happy even, with this group of individuals. 

Their food arrives and Aelin stares at her plate for a few minutes. Snails. Rowan had ordered cooked snails. In their shells and everything. And like an idiot who couldn't pay attention for five seconds, she ordered them too. Not ready to own up to her idiocy, Aelin takes a few bites of her questionable meal. Not terrible, she thinks to herself, but this is definitely a one time thing, god Iʻm going to have to stuff my face with so much cake after this.

The group finishes their meals and wine, continuing their exciting conversations which everyone contributes in. Manon brings up her idea to catch the showing of ʻBeauty and the Beastʻ on the Lido deck and so the group finishes up their thoughts, cleans up a little and travel together to the Lido deck. Before finding their seats, they all stop by the ice cream machine and help themselves to a creamy, soft-serve cone. Aelin takes the chance to sneak away and head further in the bar and gets to the dessert bakery. She snags a slice of chocolate cake and begins devouring it.

“Still a fan of chocolate, I see,” 

Aelin turns, mouth full of cake, “you caught me”

She says it so innocently that Rowan canʻt help but laugh.

“Did you want some?” she offers him a bite. He holds up his hand.

“No, thank you though, I just wanted to check on you, make sure youʻre okay.”

She laughs, “Hm let me see, besides eating snails, Iʻve found the library, read a really fascinating book, taken a nap, and tried the best cake Iʻve ever tasted, Iʻd say Iʻm doing pretty great.”

They share an intimate moment of pure laughter and joy.

“Well we better get back to everybody, Iʻm sure the movieʻs about to start.”

   She follows his lead and they find their friends. They lay on deck chairs facing the projector screen, right next to each other. The rest of the night is a dream. Throughout the movie, she shares laughs with her friends, old and new, and she shares a few lingering glances with the man in the chair next to her. Aelin and her friends sing along with the songs of the movie, a little too loudly at times, earning annoying glares from nearby children. When the movie ends, the two groups share hugs and promises to hangout and do something the next day. A tired Manon and Aelin safely make it back to their cabin and Aelin quickly drifts off into a deep slumber, dreaming of being Beauty with a certain, familiar Beast.

-

All Hands on Deck taglist:

@smalltddygothgf​ @booksbqueen​ @underworldboxers​ @live-the-fangirl-life​ @booknerdproblems​ @rowaelinismyotp​ 

-

[spectralscathath]

Fria's Day Out- RWBY drabble

Ruby spent all of volume 6 trekking across Mistral and nearly getting killed due to the stupid Relic of Knowledge, and now General Ironwood's trying to give it back to her? When there's a perfectly good Vault there?

Absolutely not.

(AKA this was not your best plan ever, Jimmy)

Ao3 link

"You're giving the lamp back to us?" Ruby asked, brows furrowing in confusion as James held out the relic. He thought it was a good idea, at least until the vault could be safely opened.

"Who better to safeguard it than the people who already protected it?"

Ruby reached out, hand resting on the relic, before she shoved it hard against his chest, looking aghast as she darted back like it had burned her.

"Are you crazy? That thing's a Grimm magnet, we nearly died, like-" she paused to count on her fingers, "three times?" She glanced at her teenage friends for clarification. "Three, was it three?"

"Manticores on the train, Apathy at the farms, Leviathan at Argus." Weiss rattled off, ignoring Winter's horrified gasp.

"And you want us to keep carrying it? We came here to throw it in the Vault in the first place!" Ruby stared at him like he was an idiot, and right now he was able to somewhat understand her reasoning.

Still, he pulled up some bluster. "Well, Fria's bedbound, so the Vault can't be opened right now. She's in no state for it."

"I mean- this is Atlas, right? Do you have hoverbeds? Wheels? You guys have invented the wheel, right? Just push her along, it can't be that dangerous."

"Well-" James started before Winter cut in.

"Actually, sir, it might be good for her to get out and about." Winter noted, face completely impassive as he beheld her treachery.

"She'd be remaining in the military base as well, Mr Ironwood!" Penny chirped cheerfully, oblivious to how he was beset on all sides by treason. "And we could set up a guard!"

"See?" Ruby squeaked determinedly. "I vote we throw that lamp from heck into the Vault and never look back!"

"We can't just wheel Fria to the vault," James rolled his eyes. "That's preposterous."

James pushed Fria's bed along, one of the wheels clicking on every rotation like a shopping trolley. "This is undignified."

"Oh, I'm having a great time, pet," Fria chuckled, a Barstucks takeaway cup held in her shaking hand. The concoction inside was some awful pink monstrosity that looked incredibly malevolent. "You ignore him, Winter, my son's just taking himself too seriously again."

"Mom, please." James groaned as Winter laughed, no restriction on the bell-like sound. Fria really brought down her guard.

"I can't believe you've got a mom, Mr Ironwood." Ruby skipped alongside them, holding the relic like it was about to jump up and bite her. James didn't know which of his scientists gave her the tongs but he was going to have a word with his R&D about loaning equipment for frivolous purposes. "I always thought you were raised by a pack of soldiers."

"You should have seen him at your age, he was a hellion," Fria gossiped with her, Winter's eyes sparkling as she hid her smile with a sip of coffee. "Running around Mantle and constantly getting into trouble, I think some of your old graffiti is still down there."

"Graffiti?" Ruby's eyes lit up with mischief. "But he's so serious!"

"I'm standing right here."

"Is that what he does now, walks around all serious?" Fria cackled. "Dear me, James, you haven't gotten boring, have you?"

"I'm afraid he has," Winter jumped in before he could defend himself, her tone dour and her twinkling eyes anything but. "It's quite a shame, from your stories he sounds like quite a rabble rouser."

"Oh he was!" Fria snorted gracelessly. "I could tell you stories- have I told you stories? I can't quite remember-" she frowned, James's gut twisting as the damnable memory loss wiped some of her spark.

"You have, Fria," Winter reached down and took Fria's hand, black gloves gentle as she clasped wizened fingers. "But I'd be happy to hear them again, if you like."

"Aren't you good?" Fria smiled again. "And you, Ruby, I swear, you Huntresses get younger every year."

"Oh, well, I'm just a prodigy," Ruby preened like a peacock under the praise. "I got into Beacon two years early."

"Really? My, that's impressive. Did the old man let you in himself?"

"Ozpin?" Guilt flashed over Ruby's face. James decided she should never play poker. "Uh- yeah, um, he did. It was cool."

"How is that old coot anyway? Still talking in riddles?" Fria asked as Ruby grew more and more uncomfortable, James keeping half an ear on the conversation as they reached the lift down to the Vault. He wheeled Fria onto the platform, shivering slightly at the chill in the air. The cold always gnawed at him even with extra coats on.

Ruby's babble broke off as the platform under their feet moved, bringing them down the passage before it opened into the cavern in the heart of Atlas, Ruby's eyes going wide with childlike wonder. "Wow…"

James felt a bit of pride at that. Atlas's Vault was very nice indeed. The geometric blocks floated in the air around them, icy blue flames flickering in torches as they descended towards the platform, a cavernous drop awaiting below. "Impressive, isn't it?"

"Yeah!" Ruby looked around, awestruck. "I never saw the one in Haven, Yang did- and she doesn't like talking about it aside from saying it was weird and there was a tree and a desert, but this is amazing! How are those blocks floating? Why is the fire blue?"

James opened his mouth to answer before realising he didn't have one, jaw clicking shut as he was left to shrug. "Dust?"

"Oh, not magic?" Ruby pouted for a moment before something shiny caught her attention. "That door is huge! What's it like inside, Yang said the Haven one led to a desert, how cool is that?"

"I don't know. I've never seen inside." He couldn't help be curious as well. "The Atlas vault hasn't been opened since Ozpin lifted the city into the sky, in a past life. It was before my time."

"I remember, I think." Fria piped up. "I was only a girl, but a floating city is rather spectacular."

"I can imagine." Winter mused. "Fria, would you like me to hold your Very Berry Hibiscus Coconut Milk Refresher with Extra Whip?" She said it with a straight face, because she was a stronger person than James could ever hope to be.

"Oh, yes, thank you. It's very nice," Fria handed it over, a quaver in her hands.

James raised a brow. "You need to hold her coffee?"

"Well, you'll have to help her up to the Vault, sir." Winter stated like it was obvious.

"Huh?"

"James, pet, did you think you were going to roll me up the stairs?" Fria laughed, tiredness beginning to steal across her eyes. They didn't have much time left before the excitement of the day turned to fatigue.

"What stairs, there's no stairs- oh my gosh there's stairs now!" Ruby squeaked excitedly as the staircase formed, practically bouncing in place. James sincerely hoped the relic clasped in her tongs didn't go flying. It would be such a hassle to get it back if she dropped it off the edge.

James hesitated. "Mom, are you sure?"

"I can't walk well, but if I'm going to open a Vault for the first time, I'd like to get up there myself." Fria stated with that rock-solid determination he'd seen a million times, dark blue eyes steady and firm, and that was that.

"Alright." He carefully, carefully helped her out of the hospital bed, struck by how small and frail she was now. He supported her with an arm under her shoulders, and wondered if she'd let him get away with carrying her up.

Fria's eyes glowed brilliant blue, azure flames springing to life for a moment as she formed a walking stick from thin air, gnarled wood and ice crystals melding together to perfectly fit her hand and height.

Seeing her perform magic never got old.

Fria rested some of her weight on the stick, most of her weight on James, her legs shaking as she set her jaw and started hobbling towards the Vault with him.

"Mom, are you sure?" He didn't want her to hurt herself.

"James, I'm feeble, not dead." She informed him briskly.

"Uh- if you want I can scatter you guys up?" Ruby offered, having gingerly shifted the relic into her actual hand, holding it at arm's length. "It's fun, like being in a tornado. And it'll be quicker?"

"I'm not sure about that-" James started, remembering the tournament footage of Ruby's semblance before Fria nodded eagerly.

"Well that sounds exciting, scatter away, dearie!"

"Mom, please-!" James suddenly found himself caught up in a swirl of red, shooting forward like a bullet from a gun and broken apart into pieces (he felt like it should have hurt but it didn't), before suddenly he was on his feet again, too fast for him to comprehend as rose petals floated in the air around him and Ruby collapsed to her knees.

"Wow, you are heavy, Mr Ironwood, what are you made of, metal?" She leaned against the golden metal of the Vault door. "Whoo- okay, I'm never picking you up again, no offence."

He dearly wanted to tell her the answer to her question was 'yes' and refrained, instead checking on Fria. "Mom, are you alright?"

She laughed, her hair a mess and her eyes bright. "That was fun!"

He sighed in relief. "I really think we should get this done sooner rather than later. I'm glad you're okay." She was in a very good state today, they'd waited for that, but he didn't know how long it would last. How long until she forgot where she was and who she was and who he was.

Fria nodded, leaning most of her weight against his side as her eyes blazed with fire, her hand shaking as she touched it to the Vault. The sharp lines of the overlapping rectangles began to glow pale white, the light racing up to the top of the door. The golden facets of the door began to drop, and a wave of roaring heat washed out over the three of them, bringing with it the smell of sulphur and brimstone.

Ruby coughed and covered her face, her nose already turning red. “For a Vault of Creation, I was expecting something- I dunno, more cheerful?”

Cheerful was not how he would describe the cavern within, thick streams of magma dripping from the walls and pooling around a slender path of rock that led to a pedestal, heatwaves shimmering in the very air. It was like the inside of a volcano, maybe it was one, and there above the pedestal, the relic of creation floated, a pearlescent white gem that had been sculpted into the handle of a paintbrush, golden filigree elaborately ensconcing the jewel as snow white threads formed the brush.

“Ruby, place the lamp in there and we’ll close it up.” He ordered, sweat forming on his brow.

“Right!” She ran in, careful to avoid the edges where molten rock bubbled hungrily, setting the lamp down in front of the pedestal and scattering out, her petals catching fire from the sheer heat in the air. James waited for her to pass them by, scooping up Fria as he walked down the stairs, eager to get away from the heat at his back.

“Are you okay?” He asked as he carried his mother back to the hospital bed, holding off on any feelings of joy at a task completed. Until the Vault door closed and Fria was back in the safety of her ward, there was still danger.

“Yes, James, I’m fine,” she smiled weakly at him, her eyes returned to the dark blue that was so similar to his own. She looked so drained, even that small bit of magic sapping her strength. “I’m just tired. Not as young as I used to be… the magic takes more of a toll now…”

“Well, rest up, alright?” He gently placed her down, tucking the quilt around her. “You did good, mom.”

“I did my job.” She stated, whispers threading through her voice and undercutting her surety. Because she was an Ironwood, much like himself, and they did their jobs no matter the cost on themselves. “But yes… I think I’ll rest a bit... Winter, will you keep my drink cool for me?”

“Of course.” Winter studied him. “Sir, shall I stay here until the Vault’s closed again?”

“No. I’ll guard it. You take my mother back to her room so she can rest.” He smiled at Winter, before he gave Fria a gentle hug, always careful with his right side. He didn’t think he’d see her again. The transfer of power had to be kept secure. This was already too much of a risk. “Thanks, mom.”

“I had fun,” Fria smiled as she nodded off, a large white Beowulf with cyan eyes forming from a glyph, grasping the hospital bed in its claws as Winter guided it to walk with her, escorting Fria to the lift out.

James watched her go, ready to wait for the vault door to close. He could still feel the heat from here. “Miss Rose, are you alright?”

“I’m good, in the red but good,” she sat on the ground, staring up at the Vault. “I know that I knew it was a paintbrush, but I was really expecting a spear, or a staff, yunno, something more impressive?”

“You don’t think painting’s impressive?” He chuckled slightly, choosing to return to somewhat of a good mood.

“That feels like a trap question.” Ruby eyed him suspiciously, her hands and belt looking empty without the relic she’d been guarding on the trip here.

“Fria paints.”

“Definitely a trap question.” She smiled a bit, and it reminded him of Summer. She really did look so much like her mother. “Your mom is cool.”

“I know she is.” He hoped she slept well, and could remember today. If she had happy memories, he’d rather she was lost in them, rather than anything else. “At least the relic’s safe now.”

“Yeah. It would’ve been really stupid to just carry it around in the open up here, I mean, it draws Grimm. Yeesh.” She looked up at the open Vault. “Well, at least now it’s locked away and no one can get to it. Ugh, could you imagine if I took you up on your offer?”

“... I'd rather not." He hoped he lived that particular idea down soon. It really wasn't his best.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A quick drabble about what would have happened if Ruby remembered The Entire Point of Volume 6. Toss Jinn into the Vault already, she'll live with it.

[a-copper-butterfly]

Battle of the Blades

I did a thing. 

this was inspired by the wonderful @lumosinlove. this is a Coops fic with background Cubs. baciscly Ice Hockey + Figure Skating = profit. im not sure if i will continue this, i have put it under the line as it a little spicy!!!

There is a mark on the ceiling. Remus let the thought float through his mind. It was early in the morning, the open window letting the fresh summer air in as his boyfriend tried to chew a hole in his neck.

Sirius was a comforting weight over his chest as he slowly ground his hips into his abdomen. He wasn’t completely hard, if he was honest, his body was still half asleep. It wasn’t the first time he had woken up with his boyfriend on top of him. It seemed to be part of their daily routine now.

Wake up. Turn off the alarm. Get Sirius off. Shower. Peanut butter on toast. Out the door to practice.

Remus smiled, pulling his hand out of Sirius’ hair. He admired the silver and gold ring on his left hand. Not boyfriend, fiancé.

He gasped when Sirius found that wonderful spot just under his ear, his morning scruff rubbing along his jaw.

With a gentle tug on his hair, Sirius pulled back. Remus gave him a push and Sirius gladly rolled onto his back, pulling Remus with him. He straddled Sirius’ stomach as he leant down, bracing his elbows on either side of his face. He kissed Sirius deeply, taking his time to count all his teeth and stroking his tongue with his own. Sirius’ hands made their way down his back. One reaching down to grab at his ass, while the other traced the three moles that lined his tail bone. The familiarity of the touch made Remus smile, breaking the kiss.

“We have practice.” Remus murmured into Sirius’ mouth, his voice husky. Sirius growled as Remus sucked his earlobe into his mouth, tracing its outline with his tongue. Both Sirius' hands grabbed at his thighs as he rutted up into the crevice of Remus' ass, head turned to the side to give him more access to his neck. Remus ghosted his lips down the strip of sensitive skin. Sirius closed his eyes and sighed waiting for Remus lips to settle on a spot.

Remus grinned and sat up. He patted Sirius on the hip and slid off his lap to get out of bed. Sirius whined again rolling after his deserting fiancé. He ended up spread across their king sized bed like some sort of renaissance painting on the origin of man - all he was lacking was a neatly placed fig leaf.

“Come on get up,” Remus pulled open his wardrobe, picking out clothes for the day. He also pulled out clothes for Sirius too, throwing them on the disgruntled man.

“Mon Loup come back to bed,” Sirius’ use of his deep sexy bed room voice nearly got Remus to crack but after taking a moment to catch his breath, he diligently found clean underwear for both of them, steering clear of grabby hands.

“Nope,” Remus stretched out his back, causing Sirius to make a dog-like noise behind him, “but if you’re quick, you can join me in the shower.” 

He tossed a wink over his shoulder to the other man, who almost injured himself trying to rip the bedsheets off his legs.

 Remus held Sirius’ coffee as he tried to get his kit bag to sit right on his back. They began to walk away from the car, Remus handing the cup over when Sirius had stopped fussing. Kit bag over his back, and one hand holding his drink, the other loosely linked his free hand with Remus’. 

As they made their way to the engraved, Remus noticed there were more reporters outside milling about than normal. Remus took a sip of his coffee as Sirius scanned them in watching the vulchers snapping photos of them.

As Remus laced his skates in the locker room, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He frowned as he looked up, “Coach?”

“Can I talk to you for a minute?”

Oh goodness. What had he done? Coach never pulled him over, he was a model player. Always on time, never late, out on the ice and running drills while the rest of them fought over water bottles.

Remus nodded, following Coach into one of the small meeting rooms just off the side of the rink. Coach dropped into a seat, gesturing for Remus to do the same. He had to focus on his breathing, his mind running through hundreds of reasons why Coach would want to talk to him. They all had similar themes, mainly revolving around the League reconsidering Remus’ place on the team. His PT job had already been filled so that wasn't available for him to go back to. He was going to walk out of this room with no job and no team. His mind was taken back to memories of walking out a similar room years ago after the incident. He felt a pit open in his stomach, his brain starting to white out. It was only when Leo dropped into the chair next to him that he let out the breath he was holding, noticing Finn and Logan messing about by the door. 

It was like whiplash. One moment he was panicking over whether he would have a job at the end of the day. The next Leo was Complaining about having a sore back. Coach sat up in his chair waiting for the last two players to join the meeting. 

“So the lions have been very popular lately.” he said, taking his glasses off and cleaning them with the side of his shirt. 

“Woo Loops!” Finn clapped him on the shoulder. Remus was still reeling so could only give a cracked smile in reply. “Shut up.” Coach called in the tone of someone who was used to being ignored.

So im assuming non of you mutton heads have seem battle of the blades.

“I love that show.” Finn sat up taking interest in the conversation. 

“Why did I know you where going to say that?” Coach muttered to himself. he rubbed his faces before going back to business,

“Look the league has asked that we send some of the team to the show bringing some of this media attention.” He leaned forward on his elbows looking over the four men at the table “We also want to separate you form Siriues.” he paused on Remus looking him in the eye. Remus frowned not really understanding what Coach was saying. Why would they want to separate him and Sirius. Unless they where trying to force them apart,

“What.” he asked, eyes beginning to widen, they couldn't separate them, could they?

“Not like that.” Coach pacified the frantic thoughts bouncing around in his head. He held his hand out in an attempt to calm the ex-PT, “not like that. But you are seen as part of him. You are a brilliant player on your own Remus we just need the public to see you not just The Caps Boyfriend.” 

“Fiancé.” Remus muttered like an after thought as he chewed over what Coach had said. He was still struggling to throw off the hot-guy-on-the-bench name. People did just see him as Sirius’ other half - they had been called up on favouritism more times than he can count. 

“Fiancé, I mean.” Coach corrected himself, watching Remus as he thought.

“Fine.” Remus huffed leaning back in his chair finally shaking the panic off from earlier, “but if you wanted to pull attention away fromyour gay players you could have picked something with less spandex and glitter.” Logan and Finn bursted into giggles as Leo gave him a gentle tap on the arm.

 Sirius glided up to the boards where Remus was pulling his blade covers off his skates. He had finished his warm ups a while ago but was waiting for Remus to get out of his meeting just in case he was needed.

“What was that about Rem?” he asked, letting his skates clunk against the boards. Remus looked over at his fiancé. He opened his mouth to reply, only to be drowned out by the Cubs’ cheers. Finn leaped over the boards, swiftly followed by Leo and Logan.

“WE ARE GOING TO BE ICE DANCERS!” was bellowed across the ice. Coach dropped down on the bench next to the new PT shaking his head; from his expression, Remus could tell he was already regretting his decisions. Finn began to sing a butchered version of “Time Of My Life” from Dirty Dancing, skating about before shouting at Leo to catch him. 

“What he said,” Remus blinked at Sirius.

Coach put an end to the impromptu dance recital with a shout to get back to warm ups. Sirius started practicing controlling the puck as Remus dropped down into his stretches.

After stretching, Remus and Sirius passed the puck between them as they talked.

“Are you going to be in one of those tight leotards Mon Loup?” whispered as he circled around Remus before passing the puck.

“God I hope not.” he muttered taking a shot at the open goal. It went in, of course, and Sirius fetched a new puck.

“You’re no fun, but it will be nice to cheer for you on the other side of the glass for once.” he paused leaning on his stick, “that and everyone can see how good you are on skates.”

“That was what coach said,” Remus watched him tap the puck about, admiring the way he handled it so skillfully.

Sirius paused, looking up at Remus with a frown. “That you look good on skates?”

“No,” he said with a laugh, “that people only see me through you. That I need to make a name for myself outside of our relationship.”

“That is a good point.” they had stopped what they were doing now, just sliding closer on the ice, as if there really was a magnetic pull between them.

“I’m not sure Pads,” Remus murmured, taking hold of one of Sirius' gloved hands, “I will go from the player who is the captain's husband to the player that was on that dancing show once.” Fire danced in Sirius' eyes. A quick tug on the hand and Remus was in his space.

“Say it again.” he ordered, prompting Remus’ eyes to light up like Sirius’.

“The captain's husband,” he whispered as husky as he could, leaning in towards Sirius. 

Before it could get any more heated, though, James zipped by, yelling at them to get a room before they melted the ice.

“As much as I love you saying that, this will give you the spotlight for a bit.” Sirius located the abandoned puck and they went back to passing it to and fro. “Enough time for everyone to fall in love with you like I did.” Remus smiled at his fiancé, watching him shift as he took the shot at the goal.

“You’re such a sap,” he pulled him in quickly for a light peck on the lips.

“I love you,” Sirius said, chasing after more kisses.

“I love you too. But I will love you more if you can do all these drills perfectly.” 

 Sirius’ thighs burned, this was so much better than doing squats. Probably better for you too. It worked more on his quads than his calves. The view wasn’t too bad either.

Remus was flushed down to his nipples; his head was thrown back, showing off a long pale neck that was just begging to be marked. His hips twitched and thrusted when Sirius sank back down onto him. His fiancé was panting hard, elbows digging into the bed as both hands gripped Sirius’. He held on so tight, as if letting go would shatter him into a million pieces.

Sirius gasped, sinking down again onto Remus’ cock. He was leaking like a tap, making a mess of Remus’ lower chest and stomach. Remus flexed his shoulders; the new muscles he had gained during his training made for a lovely sight.

“Are you gonna cum love?” Sirius murmured lowly, prompting Remus to make an incredibly sexual noise. His eyes, blown wide with arousal, caught Sirius’ as he sank down. Sirius gyrated his hips, massaging his prostate slowly. His eyes began to droop but he determinedly held eye contact. Remus just groaned again,“use your words.” Sirius ordered.

“Am I allowed to?” Remus’ voice was by far the sexiest thing Sirius had ever heard. It was deep and husky. He basked in the moment, letting his eyes close as he bobbed up and down. He then looked right back at Remus. 

“You have to make me first,” Sirius smirked but his cockiness was quickly knocked out of him when Remus flipped them over.

Now, with his legs wrapped around Remus' waist, the angle stabbed at his prostate perfectly.

“Yes!” Sirius hissed at the sudden stimulation. Remus pinned his hands above his head as he rocked into him. Sirius‘ eyes rolled to the back of his head as Remus set a punishing pace.

It didn’t take long for both of them to cum after that. They were both reduced to a sweaty, sticky, panting mess. They refused to stop kissing, even as they struggled to catch their breath.

When everything started to get uncomfortable, Remus reluctantly pulled away. He rose on wobbly legs to fetch a washcloth.

“I can't believe you will be gone for two months tommorow.” the sound of running water came from the bathroom.

“It’s six weeks, baby, not eight.” was Remus’ reply. It echoed slightly off the tiled walls. Sirius rolled over onto his stomach, chin pillowed in his hands.

“Feels like eight,” he grumbled. Remus walked back in on more stable legs. The wash cloth was warm as Remus gently swiped over Sirius. He smiled to himself and let his eyes close as his fiancé took care of him.

“It’s not that long.” Remus comforted him, depositing the cloth in the laundry basket and crawling back up the bed. He lay down next to him, pushing a hand through Sirius’ hair. “I will probably be out in the first round anyway, so in reality it will only be two weeks.”

“Don’t put your self down like that,” Sirius snuggled closer, tucking his head against Remus’ neck; he could smell the sex they had just had on his skin. It pleased a possessive part of himself that he didn’t like to think about too much.

“Do you think this is a mistake Pads?” Remus whispered, pulling Sirius closer to him, “if I ask Coach he might be able to get me out of this.”

“Rem, you’re going to be great. My gut says so.” Remus laughed.

“Well as long as your gut says so who am I to question it.” Sirius smiled into his neck, kicking the bed quilt till it covered just their legs; it was too hot to have it over them. He closed his eyes to sleep.

 Remus stood with the three cubs behind him, trying to remember the kisses Sirius had covered him with before he got on the plane. 

They were all in their hockey gear, Logan in all his pads being flanked on both sides by his boys.

To Remus’ left was Ivo Aleksandrov, a player for the Hufflepuff Badgers; he smiled and waved, but mostly kept to himself. He was spinning his stick around absentmindedly, leaning against the wall.

Lyuba Fedoroa was on his right from the Ravenclaw Ravens, her blue uniform picking out her piercing blue eyes. It may be that she was the only girl there but she had a firm air of don’t-touch-me about her. It was a run in with her that made the cubs use Remus as a defensive wall between them.

A scruffy looking guy with headphones and a clipboard was briefing them on what was about to happen.

“So when your name is called, skate to the spot on the ice. Let’s get the crowd hyped, alright? Wave your stick, whatever you want. The presenters are going to chat about you for a bit, then your partner will be called onto the rink. They will do a bit of a show for the audience, then you both skate to center ice. Greet each other and then head over to the presenters who will chat with you a bit. Please for the love of god try not to drop the F bomb.” The man looked like he did this every year and every year he was ignored.

“No swearing? Do you know who we are?!” Finn chucked, getting an elbow from Logan. The man just leveled him with a stare before making a note on his clipboard.

“Well are we ready?” he asked, looking around the group. He was answered with a series of murmured affirmatives before nodding and walking away. He managed to vanish in the mass of cameras and tech crew. Remus turned his attention to the small screen that showed the presenter talking about the last year on the show. showing clips of best bits and biggest falls. It was slightly comforting that falls where expected.

Behind him, he could hear the cubs whispering to each other. Logan seemed a little nervous whereas Finn was practically vibrating out with excitement. Leo was comforting Logan, tapping his glove quietly. They used the excuse that all six of them were crushed together against the boards, to stand close together. Remus, though, noticed that the slight brushes and bumps were not just from the small space. He was glad that the outsiders were on his other side. He was more than a metaphorical wall between their relationship and the outside world at the moment.

The headphones guy was back and standing at the gate to the ices. The high glass walls had been blacked out, to stop people seeing who was about to appear on the ice. It was unnerving being able to smell the cold, feel it on his face and hear the slashing of ice skates but not see the ice at all.

Headphones guy beckoned Ivo over, looking down at his list and saying something to him. He got a nod in response.

The presenters were gearing up to introduce this year’s skaters, so Ivo was probably going first. 

Well, thought Remus, here goes nothing.

Why was he always last? Finn had just skated out to a cheering crowd. He had really riled them up, taking a moment to skate around waving. The presenters had lapped it up, gushing about how adorable he was. Remus could see Finn quickly becoming a crowd favorite. He had met up with his dance partner, a small thing with beautifully dark skin. Her hair was neatly pinned on the top of her head in a bun. She had laughed at Finn’s antics taking his arm and pulling him off the ice to the presenters.

Finally, Headphone guy waved him over. Suddenly Remus felt his heart in his throat. Even stepping back onto the ice for his first game had not scared him as much as having to step out now. He reasoned it could have been that he had the team before. Now he had to do this alone. 

Well he had the cubs. He just had to make it through the next five minutes. 

As Headphones guy gave him a pat on the back, he realized that his name had just been called. He stepped out onto the ice and was instantly blinded. There was a spotlight on him. He pushed away from the boards to the spot that he had been told to stand on. He could hear the crowd, but the bright light meant that he couldn't see them. They cheered and he stood frozen for a moment, then he raised his stick in the air. The only thing he could think of to do. The crowd cheered louder. 

Remus smiled. He could hear the announcer talk him up for a few moments.

“Dancing with Lupin this year is three time Grand Prix Champion, our very own Princess BubbleGum! Nymphadora Tonks!” 

Across the ice the gate opened a flash of pink darted out. Dressed in a grey outfit, a pink haired young lady zipped around in an ark on the ice. As she reached the center of the circle she lifted one leg and moved her other skate in a odd way. Pushing off with one foot she jumped and span getting a roar form the crowed when she landed it. Remus got a good look at her bright mischievous smile. 

Suddenly that smile was skating very quickly towards him. Not knowing what else to do he dropped his stick and caught the tiny skater who laughed loudly at him wrapping her legs around his waist letting go with her arms waving them above her head, forcing Remus to hold her up. She was laughing her head off as he set her back on the ice. Around them the crowed was ecstatic. Smiling as best he could without showing how freaked out he was Remus took Nymphadora arm and they skated towards the presenters.

[werezmastarbucks]

Whitmore Guy vs Cats

whitmore guy masterlist

word count: 1225

music: punching in a dream by the naked and famous

Saturday was sunny and too hot, so they kept the door open for several hours, letting all the smells from the kitchen out in the street. Y/N had a rare pleasure to just chill, watching somebody else do all the work. They turned on the music and talked. Mal came to her house way too early, at two o’clock, and refused to leave when she said she hasn’t even gone to the shop yet. They drove to the nearest store together and somehow ended up stealing a shopping cart. As Mal pushed it with Y/N inside, three packs of pasta and a bouquet of herbs in her arms, she observed the clear blue sky above, and shrieked with delight like a child.

Then they had to pay a fine for misplacing the store’s property.

Back in the house, Y/N opened a bottle of cider with the deepest feeling that she was spoiling herself, and not in a good way; that she was stealing from somebody, that she was doing something utterly bad. As she watched this dude, and his agile hands, unpack all the stuff they bought, and examine her cupboards, learning around her kitchen really quick; she felt better than she did in months.

“That ice cream bucket, by the way”, he pointed a fork at her and then threw it in the sink, “you were right. I shouldn’t have eaten all of it. I felt so sick afterwards”.

She groaned.

“I’m surprised you didn’t get hospitalized”.

“I have strong stomach”.

“Do you have any human weaknesses?”

“Sure”, he said passionately, “Baywatch. You remember that?”

She laughed, throwing her head back.

“I was watching Big Wolf on Campus back then”.

Mal whistled quietly.

“Have you always been preoccupied with that stuff?”

“Yeah, I guess, you could say I magnetize them. Set my mind to it in the childhood and went on with it”.

“What’s wrong with normal people?”

“I don’t know, you tell me”.

“Fair enough. Help?”

She slipped from her couch and stepped into the kitchen space.

“I’ll pour the water. You hold the strainer”.

They grouped around the sink, working with four hands.

“You’re a natural”, Mal nodded with approval, taking the strainer from her and dismissing her with a wave of his ringed hand. She sat at the table so that she wouldn’t have to walk too much.

“You ever cook yourself?”

“Have you seen my fridge?”

“I mean, you eat, right?”

“I do. Most of the time I buy something that’s easy to heat up. I’ve had an eating disorder ever since… forever”.

Mal looked genuinely concerned.

“I have no idea what that is”.

She snickered so bad she nearly spat her cider.

“Of course you don’t you munchkin. It’s when you get up in the morning, and your stomach is empty, and it’s growling and sucking, but you open your fridge, and go, no way. I can’t put anything in there”.

“That’s what she said”, he inserted, without breaking concentration.

“And then you get sick because you haven’t eaten, and by the end of the day you don’t really understand anymore whether you feel so bad because you’re hungry, or because the thought of food makes you nauseous. But at the same time you would love a big steak. But when you get it, you can bite it only once, and then the idea of food becomes an abomination in your mind”.

“Sounds like anxiety”, he murmured, slapping a pan with the towel and the putting it on his shoulder.

“I’m sure they’re connected”.

“I mean, these things are triggered by traumas, you know?” he looked at her over the shoulder.

“Yes”.

“So, anything happened?”

“Where to begin…” she rubbed her chin musingly. “It all began on a sunny day of the year nineteen ninety-four…”

He snorted.

“Poor thing. Don’t worry. I’ll make you pappardelle so good you’ll be begging for more”.

“I’ve no idea what that is but it sounds awful”.

Mal gasped.

“Don’t doubt me, woman. I’m literally the best cook I know”.

She finished her first bottle, and Mal eyed her, thinking.

“Where did you learn to cook?”

“Been on my own for some time”.

“Back in that violent lonely summer camp?”

He grinned modestly.

“Yeah”.

His head swung up, eyes down the hall behind her left shoulder.

“We’ve got guests”.

Y/N turned around only to discover a cat on her doorstep, sniffing the air with its little nose.

“Who’s that guy?”

“Looks like Gray, neighbor’s cat”.

“Take him away. Animals don’t like me”.

Y/N looked at the cat again, walking silently in her living room, but unable to hide its desire to run into the kitchen. The cat was cautious, and as soon as it saw Mal, it did, indeed, stop and hiss.

Y/N walked to it, trying to push it gently with her leg.

“Gray, what’s up? Go away if you don’t like it here”.

Mal was looking at the animal very seriously, like they were having a discourse telepathically.

“Why is that?” she asked, frustrated at the cat’s sudden inability to move. It ruffled all its fur and growled deeply, tail sticking to its bum.

“He feels I’m better than him, and he’s upset about it”, Mal boasted, full of hidden undertones.

She pushed the cat again, then bent and tried to pick it up, but Gray growled at her, too.

“You little shit. What did I ever do to you?”

“Don’t let Gray scratch you, or I’ll cook him, too”.

“Please, I don’t need to know about your street animals cooking skills”.

Y/N took a cushion from her couch and waved it in front of Gray’s face. The cat started to retrieve very slowly.

After several pushes and a lot of verbal persuasion, she finally took Gray outside. It felt good, for some reason, like she just avoided a disaster. As she straightened up and turned, she nearly bumped into Mal, standing in front of her and smirking.

“Cats. Fucking smart”.

When he stood so close, looking down on her, her brain went ballistic. His smell entered her nostrils and filled her head with poisonous gas.

“What are you doing?”

“I realized I forgot to buy apples for the pie. I’ll be right back, uh-huh?”

He leaned and clutched the door handle behind her back.

“Can you watch the pasta, please? Stir it a little if there’s too much foam. I’ll be in five. And don’t drink anymore, or you’ll fall asleep by the time your friends come”.

He disappeared like a magician, closing the door so quickly she barely managed to even register what he said.

Well, she be damned if she doesn’t find out his deal. She cursed under her breath as she walked back to the stove and looked down the pot, the smell of pasta making her anxious, like she’s been running for miles. There it goes: it takes one handsome fucker to enter her house, and she goes crazy. And he smirks, and smiles, and talks nonsense, blaming cats and Damon, and thinks he can wrap her around his finger. She be damned if she falls for a dick like Damon again. He thinks he’s smart, with his babbling to distract her from the things he doesn’t utter. But she’s been around for a while. And she’ll find a way to bust that dude.

[hopeswriting]

FANDOM: Katekyo Hitman Reborn!

EVENT: Flufftober 2020

PROMPT: Sharing Hobbies

AUTHOR: @hopeswriting​

RATING: G

PAIRING: Gokudera & Hibari

SUMMARY:

The first thing Gokudera needs to do now they’re back to the present again, is checked on Namimori’s stray animals. Too bad it's the first thing on Hibari's list too.

TAG WARNING: Swearing

WORDS: 1009

*

Gokudera could think of only three reasons as to why all the stray animals seem to have disappeared of Namimori.

1) He stayed too long in the future because of this marshmallows-eating fucker, and now the strays don’t trust him anymore to show their face.

2) The return-to-the-present induced earthquake opened the floor in two and managed to swallow all the strays, and really, can Gokudera not trust anyone these days, not even the so-called Strongest babies in the world?

3) The marshmallows-eating fucker fucked too much with the universes, and now they’re simply no such things as stray animals in the world.

Gokudera throws his cigarette on the floor and crushes it under his foot. And oh, what he would give for it to be the face of a so-called new god of the worlds…

He steadies the bag on his back, and makes his way back home. Of course this matter needs immediate investigation, but he’s not going to do that while carrying a bag full of animals food.

He makes a detour by the river to double check, glances at the shore as he’s walking by, and almost chokes on the smoke of his cigarette.

Gokudera scrambles down the stairs, and runs to the bridge.

There, just under it, all the strays animals he was looking for, cats and dogs alike existing side by side oddly peacefully.

And scattered between them, these stupids-pompadour-haircut guys.

He points an accusing finger at the mastermind of it all. “You!”

His heart beats faster, and a grin pulls at his lips. This is it, this are all the proofs he ever needed.

Hibari is an animal type of U.MA., and he just busted him in the middle of some kind of ritual with his kinds.

He needs to take pictures—no, better yet, he needs to record the whole thing.

No, wait. What he needs is to get his priorities straight.

“What the goddamn fuck are you doing? Do you demand even animals bow to you?”

Hibari takes a look at him, at the bag he dropped at his feet.

“So it’s you. The stray animals of Namimori are taken care of, do not interfere anymore. You fatten them.”

“Say fucking what now?” Why does this guy never fucking make sense to him? Except, everything clicks then in Gokudera’s brain. He points his finger again with more zeal. “It’s you! What the hell are you teaching them? I almost lost my eye this one time!”

Hibari raises an eyebrow. He takes in the animals in front of him, looks back at him.

“Which one? They earned a treat.”

Gokudera reaches for his dynamites. Now he just asked for it, Tenth will surely understand.

Zitto makes his way to him to rub his head against his leg. Relief runs through him.

Gokudera would have gone through the whole process of winning their trust again if he had to, but he’s honestly glad he doesn’t have to.

A kitten follows behind Zitto, suspiciously looking like a mini him.

Oh shit, did Zitto got a kitten? When? With whom? Pia, Bianca?

Gokudera missed that?

Fucking goddamned shithead of a crazy marshmallows induced brain rot fucker.

Luigi and Sonno comes to him too, disregarding their food and ignoring the calls of the disciplinary committee members.

Gokudera rubs their heads, and smiles smugly at Hibari.

“Sorry, what exactly do you have taken care of again?”

Hibari narrows his eyes.

Bruno waves his tail looking straight at Gokudera, and he calls out to him.

“Come here, Bruno.”

“Shinobu.”

Bruno instantly changes his course, and sits at Hibari’s feet. Hibari rubs him behind his ear, and he barks happily.

Hibari doesn’t even look at him. “Sorry, were you calling out to him? He looks to me like he doesn’t care about your existence.”

“Oh, you’re so on.”

Gokudera stands in the middle of a circle of mess tins filled with milk and food, the same way Hibari is opposite him. In between them, the stray animals at equal distance of each of them. Off to the side, the disciplinary committee members as referees.

Gokudera crouches, uses both his baby voice and the gibberish talk to win Torta, Bambi and Rocco to his side. Hibari calls out to Vito, Rosa, Augusto and Prima, in the softest voice Gokudera ever heard him use, and all fourth of them go to his side.

Gokudera takes out his mini dynamites toys specifically tailored for them, and lights them off. Hibari propagates the food around him, smirking—what a fucking cheater!

Gokudera swallows his pride, and starts humming, even singing a couple of lyrics. Hibari makes Hibird sings the school anthem.

Maria is the only one left, while there is an equal number of animals on each side.

“Don’t get your hopes up,” Hibari says, “Mami practically lives in my house. Mami, it’s time to eat.”

“Oh yeah? Well, did you nurse her broken leg until she healed? Maria, come this way, come say hello.”

“Mami, this way. A treat is waiting for you.”

“Maria, don’t listen to this bastard. Come to me.”

“Mami.”

“Maria.”

“Mami.”

“Maria.”

Gokudera and Hibari glare at each other, and the tension is thick in the air.

Maria stretches, yawns lazily. She looks at Gokudera, takes a few steps his way. She turns back to Hibari, takes a few steps his way. She turns back again, stops at her previous spot.

Gokudera holds his breath.

Maria takes off, but not to either of them. She runs up the stairs, and throws herself right into Tsuna’s legs.

“Tenth!”

Tsuna startles, but then eagerly scoops Maria up in his arms. They rub their head against each other’s.

Hibari makes an offending noise.

“What was that you school-loving freak? Tenth is a great man, it’s only natural Maria chose him!”

Hibari makes that face where he’s obviously rolling his eyes while looking you straight in the eye. Gokudera twitches to throw a dynamite his way.

“Same place, same hour, tomorrow?”

Gokudera sticks his nose up in the air. “Your funeral.”

*

BONUS:

We only ever see Gokudera interact with Uri, so it's a bit unfair but I’m gonna go ahead anyway and say he’s bad with animals in general. Or more like, animals just never seem to like/trust him at first glance.

That never stopped Gokudera to stop and try to help all the stray animals he ever stumbles on all his life.

And that even before he could relate to them in a way no 13yo should relate to them.

It always takes a lot more than one try, and a lot of scratches and bites and a general hostility from the animals, and Gokudera getting a hold of his temper and being patient, but he never gives up.

He comes back every time, with food or drinks or toys or a first aid kit, and try to play by their rules as much as he can.

And eventually they warm up to him, and once they do they actually come to like him and trust him really quickly.

And Gokudera wants to adopt one (or more) of them, but he doesn’t trust himself to have this particular skill set. He gets there eventually though.

------

Hibari on the other end is an animal magnet. They’re just drawn to him, and he never minds it.

He has the disciplinary committee tracking every stray animals in Namimori, and keeping notes on every type of care they give them.

(That’s how he knows there’s someone else actively taking care of them too, and on a daily basis.)

And he doesn’t actually gather them all in one place every time lol. But he just got back from the future, and figured it’d be less bothersome to check on them all that way.

Hibari takes them to the vet first things first, and then does a background check on them all (as much a background check he can do anyway).

The ones he can identify and who got lost are returned to their homes.

The ones he can tell got lost and have a home to go back to but can’t identify, have people actively looking for their homes.

(Of course they’re returned to their homes only if it’s a suitable home they should be returned to. If not, Hibari visits these homes anyway.)

(On the other hand when it’s a case where the owners want to take care of the pet but don’t have the means to do it for whatever reasons, Hibari helps them with that.)

The ones who got abandoned, and the ones who got both abandoned and obviously maltreated, well—Hibari schedule a little meeting with the former owners.

------

And I feel like in this verse Hibari has actual parents who have authority on him, and they stand firm on the fact that “No, Hibari, we can’t let you adopt all the stray animals in Namimori.”

Hibari thinks it’s bullshit because their house is big and he’s sure he could manage, and also feels annoyed because they keep acting like he can just brought a few of them home.

But he obviously can’t, how is he supposed to choose between them all?

(He gets there eventually, but it’s more the animals choosing his home like Mami, than him choosing them.)

------

They meet again the next day by the river, then take opposites direction, and see how many strays they can feed before they have to meet again halfway.

The day after that they switch directions, and see if they can feed the strays faster than the other did.

And the day after that they go around the city together to see who’s the one most liked by the strays.

At the end of the third day they make the counts. Lather, rinse, repeat.

They eventually become friends, because of the sheer force of spending all this time together. And also by beating up stupid, cruel people who take their shit out on animals together.

Funnily enough they discover the same side of each other’s: gentleness.

Hibari uses this soft, soothing voice whenever he talks with the animals, has this genuine, open expression on his face, and just a very, simple, content little smile pulling at his lips.

Gokudera can’t make his voice that soft, or exudes that much of a calm energy. But he has this way he moves himself, the way he strokes them, the careful weight he puts in his movements whenever he has to touch them, that just speak of safety and trustworthiness.

------

Hibari starts hovering around Gokudera whenever he has to crowd with the others. And I feel like they’d be the kind of friends to mock others together.

(Not their common friends, or the other’s friends that aren’t necessarily their friends too, but everyone else is fair game.)

Gokudera is all colorful insults and imaginative metaphors, while Hibari is just very blunt and it’s all in the tone of his voice.

They both find the other hilarious.

And then Hibari starts showing at least one time out of three whenever they crowd together. And when he doesn’t Gokduera takes notes so he can debrief him later.

Meanwhile the others are rightfully baffled.

Is that Hibari willingly hanging out with someone? Wait, do they actually look friendly with each other? Are they laughing with each other??

Did Gokudera just pet Hibird??? Did Hibird just land on top of Gokudera’s head????????

The others are losing their mind, and they actually don’t even notice lmao.

------

But also, what if Yamamoto is jealous?

He’s all like, “What the hell, I’m trying to befriend you since day one and all you do is snap at me, and then you go and become friend with Hibari of all people in no time???”

(No offense to Hibari, he actually likes Hibari, but also he sure as hell was there first.)

And then Gokudera has to go through the mortifying ordeal of asserting their friendship and the fact that yes, he does see Yamamoto as a friend, with actual words he has to speak out loud, and in no uncertain terms.

And even worse, he has to explain how it’s stupid of him to compare himself to Hibari, because he values both friendships for entirely different reasons.

Sometimes he just needs to be his explosive self, and tactless and hurtful more often than he would like, and trusts that he won’t be pushed away for it.

And sometimes he just needs someone to indulge with him in being unapologetically unlikable, and trusts he’s not being judged for it.

And he regrets this conversation deeply because Yamamoto and Hibari ends up becoming friends anyway (and Yamamoto never lets him live their conversation down), and suddenly they’re an inseparable trio.

*

Tsuna saved Maria from drowning once (he calls her Akiko). He brought her back home in case she would catch a cold, and they spent a couple of days together. And yeah, they’re not exactly nice to each other in this, but this is Hibari and Gokudera, I did what I could while trying to keep them in character lol.

Also I do firmly believe Gokudera would have straight up punch Byakuran in the face upon seeing him in the present for the first time, and even blow him up a couple of times. Like they both deserve azsdfghjkl.

Anyway thank you for reading! Any and all review are appreciated ^^.